(:Gabriela's Civil War Wiki:)
My Three Essential Questions:
1) Other than the issue of slavery, what were the motives that instigated the Civil War?
2) What factors contributed to the North winning the war?
3) Did the actions of free and/or enslaved African Americans have any impact on the outcome of the war?
My Introduction:
The American Civil War is one of many events in the history of the United States that is often oversimplified and therefore misunderstood. When asked about the cause, Americans would probably answer that blood was shed over the issue of slavery. When asked why the Union won, they would quickly respond that it was due to Lincoln's astute leadership skills. Although neither statement is false, they compose merely one piece of the answer to the question. An accurate response is much more complex, mirroring the nuances of the war itself, which arose because of political, cultural, idealogical and economic idiosyncrasies between the North and South.
My Outline:
-The Causes of the Civil War
-The secession of southern states challenged the Constitution as well as the political argument of state rights versus the rights of the Federal Government. In fact, from the beginning until the Battle of Gettysburgh and his Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln insisted the motivation of the war was the preservation of the Union.
-Selecting Abraham Lincoln in the presidential elections of 1860 was controversial, especially in the South.
-As commonly portrayed, the issue of slavery did play a major role in the war. At this point in time the abolition movement was gaining momentum.
-The North and South had entirely different economic structures and cultures in general. They were both looking to preserve their ideals.
-The Reasons the Union Won
-Once it was understood that the war would decide the plight of slavery in the United States other world powers decided to support the North, as opposed to the South, which represented their economic interest.
-The North had better access to natural resources and were more cohesive as a force.
-Lincoln's leadership skills are often attributed with helping the Union.
-The Role that African Americans Played
-Douglass encouraged African Americans to join the army because he felt that it would give them a better chance of attaining citizenship (Click here to see a poster)
-By the conclusion of the war 10% of the Union Army, approximately 179,000 men were black. This was in addition to the 19,000 African Americans that served in the Navy. 1 African Americans were not allowed to join the army until Lincoln passed the Second Confisication and Militia Act. On the other hand, they were allowed to fight in the Navy since the Battle of Fort Sumter which initiated the war. 2
-Although African Americans played an integral role in the war, they were still discriminated against. One example is the limited number of them that were commissioned as officers.
My Conclusion:
The American Civil War was much more complicated than what is often depicted. Despite the causes that brought about the series of battles or their victors, the war was a turning point in American history. It took a nation that was separating inch by inch, and instilled a feeling of purpose and common experience. Shortly after, the process of Reconstruction and the addition of a few Constitutional Amendments made the future look brighter for abolitionists, those from the North, and others. However, over nearly 150 years later, the separate ideals have still failed to converge. The American Civil War created a nation that was unified geographically, but continues to have distinct perspectives on issues that face our modern world.
Links:
My Additions to the Timeline!!
Civil War Bibliography.docPage Information
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