The+Civil+War

Most of the secession acts begin with "an ordinance" or "We the people". They all have a date that they were passed on them Some of them have multiple sections while others are just short paragraphs
 * Similarities and differences between Secession Acts of the Thirteen Confederate States**

Author - The representatives of South Carolina Place/time - Charleston, December 20, 1860 Prior knowledge - South Carolina was the first state to secede from the United States Audience - The people of South Carolina and the Union Reason - South Carolina felt that their rights to slavery would be taken away if they stayed in Union The main idea - South Carolina is declaring their secession from the Union Significance - By seceding from the Union, South Carolina has declared independence and become their own country; this shows that the Union is falling apart
 * APPARTS - South Carolina Secession Act**

Author - The representatives of Georgia Place/time - January 19, 1861 Prior knowledge - Soon after South Carolina seceded, many southern states, including Georgia, followed suit. Audience - The Union and citizens of Georgia Reason - Georgia felt that the Union was doing an injustice to them by threatening to take away their slaves The main idea - Georgia, similar to South Carolina, feels that it will be more beneficial to not be a part of the Union any longer Significance - This secession from the Union is serious because it shows the division of the country
 * APPARTS - Georgia Secession Act**


 * Reflection**: Yes, the reasoning makes sense to me. These states have different beliefs from the north, and they feel that their beliefs and lifestyle will be threatened if they continue to stay in the Union. In order to preserve their current lifestyle, they feel they must secede. I actually think this is a good reason for secession. I definitely would sign these secession acts if I lived in the south and believed in slavery, because they are for the sake of protecting something I believe in. Staying in the Union at this point would do nothing but endanger the current lifestyle, because of Abraham Lincoln's opposition against slavery.

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eachothers' mouths They are both holding their hands to their chest Both men are wearing uniforms of some sort The two men are wearing different uniforms || It may mean that the two men are close friends It can also mean that the two soldiers are performing some kind of oath or swearing in These two men are probably soldiers, so this may be the celebration of a new position that one or both of them may have obtained in the army. They are friends on different sides of the war ||
 * I See || It Means ||
 * Two men holding cigars to







List of Things seen in images: -young boys in uniform -some boys have different uniforms -one uniform has a curved hat while the other is flat

Similarities between images: -two of the pictures seem to depict one boy during two periods of his life, the other two depict another boy -two sets of uniforms are similar

DIfferences between images: -one uniform is different form the other; one seems more rural (similar to Revolutionary attire) while the other is more refined -one hat is curved up, the other is flat

Age: I think the top two pictures depict children that are about ten years old. I think the bottom two are in their teen years, about 15 years old.

If Massachusetts seceded, I would join with the US government to get it back. Massachusetts is my home, but America is my country; they belong together. The nation's laws are more important than my attachment to my home. If Massachusetts separated from the US under reasons that I don't agree with, my first priority would be to bring Massachusetts back into the country. As a single state, Massachusetts wouldn't be able to do much alone; it wouldn't be able to fend off attacks from hostile nations, such as the nation it seceded from. Bringing Massachusetts back into the US would give it protection and support;

Reflection: I don't think that there is any way to avoid taking a side during the Civil War. You had to either be part of the Union or the Confederacy; both sides pressured neutral states into joining them. If you didn't join that side, you were a traitor. You were either on their side or a traitor. In the end, you had to pick a side or face the wrath of both.

=Civil War Themes=

2) Defend a home state or a home country? Either way you're losing part of your home.
an example of this conflict was Robert E. Lee, who had to decide whether to fight for his country or his state. He ended up choosing to fight for his state as part of the Confederacy.

4) Fellow Americans or Traitors ... or both?
Americans saw each other who were on the same side as fellow Americans, but saw their northern/southern counterparts as traitors. In some cases, there were Americans who had relations on the opposite side. They saw their friends and family as fellow Americans, but also traitors.

cut the South down the middle using the Mississippi River the lack of resources and trade would weaken the South the weakened South would resign, and much less blood would be shed || white southerners had strong support for their cause South had some of country's best military officers cotton was planned to be used as a sort of tool to win Britain and France over Britain and France would acknowledge the South's independence, and help them with the war effort || I think the Northern strategy will be more effective, because it seems like a viable and achievable method to end the war without much bloodshed. The strong northern navy would be able to seal off the ports of the south while cutting the south in half with the Mississippi River. This would definitely weaken the southern economy and their resources. The reason I don't think the Southern strategy would be as effective is because of all the complications it would cause. I don't think Britain and France would want to butt into this American affair, because it would cost them many resources to aid the South. They could just get cotton from a place other than the southern US.
 * Northern Strategy || Southern Strategy ||
 * blockade the ports of the South

Minie balls/rifles 1) This new technology served as a new kind of common weapon used among troops 2) This changed warfare by allowing a shorter reload time for shots and higher accuracy, range, and damage. 3) This weapon was very important to the Civil War, because the higher lethality of this weapon caused many more deaths on both sides.

Shrapnel/canisters 1) This served as a replacement for solid iron cannonballs in artillery. 2) It changed the way armies dealt with each other. This weapon could clear waves of advancing troops. 3) This weapon was very important in the war because it was a main weapon that killed many troops.

Balloons 1) This served as a means of scouting the enemy in order to find out their position. 2) This changed the way war was fought by allowing better strategies and awareness. If one side knew where the other was, it would allow new strategies to be formed based on the enemy's position. 3) This weapon was important because it allowed armies to direct artillery fire and determine the enemy's position.

Ironclads 1) These iron plated ships were used for naval battles. 2) It changed how sea warfare was fought by introducing a strong durability and heavy firepower on ships. 3) This weapon was important because it helped the North take control of the Mississippi River Valley.

Submarine 1) These underwater vessels were used for marine warfare against ships. 2) It changed water warfare by creating a new way to sink ships: underwater. 3) The Confederate //Hunley// sank an enemy vessel in the war.

Gatling gun 1) This weapon served as a means of killing. 2) It changed war greatly by introducing a way to kill many soldiers in a small amount of time; it fired 200 shots per minute. It also made both armies put their weaker soldiers in the front to eat all the Gatling shots. 3) This weapon allowed armies to cut their way through troops with ease, killing up to 200 people per minute.

Telegraph 1) This technological device served as a means of communication. 2) It changed how quickly generals communicated with government leaders. 3) This invention was important during the war because it allowed quick exchange of responses between generals out in the field and government leaders.

Yes, better technology can take the place of experienced soldiers. This new technology enables newbie soldiers to do what an experienced soldier without this technology couldn't, such as shoot with higher accuracy or cause severe damage with a shot. These new weapons allow a more varied way of fighting. For example, it doesn't matter who operates a Gatling gun, it will still shoot 200 shots per minute. It can definitely replace an experienced soldier, who has the limits of being human.

Major Battles of the Civil War 1861-1863


 * Comments, Questions, Connections, Inferences predictions || Battle/Date || Victor || Significance of Battle ||
 * The Confederates won this battle because of a superior commanding officer. This shows that despite having less resources, a strong leader can turn the tide. || 1st Bull Run || Confederate || This battle, due to the casualties, ended northerners' hopes for a short war. It also made Lincoln request for more people to join the army, and General McDowell was replaced by George McClellan. ||
 * The general of the Union who won this battle, Ulysess S. Grant, becomes a president later. I bet that his war hero status boosted his favor with the people. || Shiloh || Union || This battle was a bloody battle, with over 10,000 casualties on each side, and ended northern hopes that the rebellion would fall on its own. ||
 * Once again, the Confederacy wins a battle because of a superior general. The northern generals seems sub-par compared to Lee, especially McClellan. || 2nd Bull Run || Confederate || General Lee defeated General Pope's army, ensuring that the Union army couldn't group together to overpower his forces. This outcome was partly due to McClellan's hesitation to act. ||
 * Why didn't General McClellan attack as instructed? Wasn't he supposed to be a "brilliant general"? Did he actually have sympathies with the south? || Antietam || None || Both sides suffered severe casualties in this bloodiest single-day battle of the war. Due to McClellan's unresponsiveness to Lincoln's orders to attack, the Confederate troops managed to retreat back to Virginia. ||
 * This situation also proves my point that the north has weak generals. This horrible outcome was the result of General Burnside's terrible judgment and General Lee's brilliance. || Fredricksburg || Confederate || The Union lost twice the amount of soldiers as the Confederacy in this battle that ended up as a slaughter of Union soldiers. The North was thrown into depression after hearing this news, and President Lincoln stated that he was in a worse place than hell. ||

6-7-2011 Task: 1) The strategy for the Union during the Civil War was to block the South's access to trade and weaken it into surrendering. The strategy for the COnfederacy was to have better military leaders and to use cotton as a tool to make Britain and France join them. I think the north's strategy was more effective, because it had a higher chance of succeeding thant the south's, and it would cause a lot less bloodshed.

2) Use of New Technology: Support: higher rate of killing, don't need as many experienced soldiers; anyone could fight, more varied way of fighting battles Oppose: more people would die

3) I think that the Confederates were winning the war by 1863, becuase they won more of the major battles, and they had much better military commanders than the Union who planned better strategies. Also, their soldiers had more experience than the poorly trained soldiers of the Union. To boot, the Confederates were fighting a defensive war on home turf. Union had to force Confederates to rejoin, while the Confederacy just had to not give up.

Confederates needed shoes, invaded Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, biggest battle of US. Turning point of Civil War

To win war, we need more soldiers

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6-7-11 I agree with the Emancipation Proclamation. This act by President Lincoln abolished slavery in rebelling states. By destroying slavery in these rebelling states, those states would no longer have enough workers to produce food for them. This in effect punishes rebelling states and causes a shorter war. Also, by clearly announcing the abolishing of slavery, the goal of the war is now to end slavery. This act will cut off any possible hopes of intervention by Britain, because they wouldn't want to fight against the abolition of slavery.

Do Now 6-8-11 In 1863, the Confederacy's strategy changed from defensive to offensive because they needed shoes. The Confederate forces invaded Gettysburg, Pennsylvania to steal shoes.

Reading 1 Questions 1. After the first day of fighting, the Confederate army had the advantage. Some reasons for this were because the Confederates outnumbered the Union, and the fact that the Confederates attacked first. The Confederate forces could have been more successful if they had pursued the Union forces, because they had an overwhelming advantage.

2. By the evening of July 2, both armies were at a stalemate; not much had been achieved through the fighting during the day.

3. General Lee decided on Pickett's Charge because he had attacked the ends of the Union line before, and because the Union had pushed back the Confederates from Culp's Hill. The result of Pickett's Charge was heavy losses for the Confederates, and the Union line held steady and unbroken to the assault.

4. General Lee retreated from Gettysburg because of the severe losses and casualties the Confederates faced.

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Main Idea Part A: A Union soldier describes the suffering of his troops while they marched towards Gettysburg to fight the battle. The battle was chaotic, with people dying left and right. After the battle, there are so many bodies on the floor that it was impossible not to step on one. He ends by saying how fortunate they are for finally winning a battle and that he hopes nothing like this will happen again.

Main Idea Part B: General Edward Porter Alexander of the Confederates quit the U.S. army to join the Confederate forces because he felt pressured into fighting for his home state, Georgia. He felt that he would be a coward if he didn't. He was a artillery commander at the battle of Gettysburg.

Main Idea Part C: Andrew Baker, a Confederate soldier, writes about Captain Magruder, who changed loyalties and was shot down by his own people during the Battle of Gettysburg.

Questions Part A: 1. Elisha Rhodes was a soldier of the Rhode Island Volunteer Infantry during the Battle of Gettysburg. 2. He justified the suffering by saying that it was for the benefit of the Union and for the sake of putting the rebels down. 3. Rhodes was very relieved that the Union won, saying that he hopes that the South will no longer invade.

Part B: 1. Edward Porter Alexander felt that Georgia's secession was a good thing, and he approved of it. 2.Alexander was offered a position of fortifying the coast instead of fighting his people. 3. Alexander justified his decision by saying that if he didn't fight for the Confederacy, he would be seen and feel like a coward.

Part C: 1. Magruder started off fighting for the Union, but switched to the Confederacy after the Emancipation Proclamation was passed. This might mean that Magruder felt that secession was not beneficial for the South and he wanted them to come back, but he supported slavery; so after it was abolished, he decided to fight for it back. 2. Captain John Moore didn't tell his men to charge because he didn't want to be responsible for their deaths. I would have felt the same way as him; I don't want to give the order that claims the lives of many.

All: 1. Reading these personal accounts provides a deeper look into the events, however, there is less background information so it can be harder to understand some parts than the textbook. It definitely portrays the sufferings and emotions of the participants much more clearly. 2. Disadvantages of relying on personal accounts are that they may not be 100% correct; a person may have thought that something was a fact when it wasn't. Also, people can be biased, and warp facts and make them sound more exaggerated than they actually were to make one side look bad.

Reading 3: Gettysburg Address 1. Lincoln gave his address four and a half months after the battle. 2. Lincoln said that the men who were buried in the cemetery were brave and they hallowed the ground. 3, Lincoln gave meaning to their sacrifice by saying that they consecrated the area and that their lives would not be lost in vain because they would serve to preserve a nation of freedom. 4. Lincoln wants people to honor the soldiers, never forget them, and make sure they didn't die in vain.

Homework:

Do Now 6-9-11

The Emancipation Proclamation was a strategic move more than a moral move. Not necessarily out of compassion for slaves, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in order to make sure Britain would not fight against the Union. By abolishing slavery, Lincoln made the war about ending slavery. Britain, a slave free country, would not want to be on the side that fought against that goal. No country would want to fight to defend slavery.

Two flaws in Lincoln's plan was that it did not free slaves everywhere in the United States. The border states still kept their slaves. To address this issue, Lincoln enacted martial law against the border states. The other flaw was that after freeing so many slaves, there would be a lot of competition for jobs. Another flaw: Confederate would actually give up slavery.

The Emancipation Proclamation was a strategical action by Lincoln because it turned the war into a fight about slavery. This made the chances of Britain joining the South become zero, because Britain didn't want to fight a war on the side of the South who declared that they still wanted slavery. The flaws with this action, however, was that the South may not have fallen for the bait of openly declaring that they were fighing for slavery, and that the Border States did not have their slaves freed by the Emancipation Proclamation.