Civil War

Civil War

Day 3

Robert E. Lee

• Confederate General

• From Virginia

• In the US Army and was opposed to succession but did not want to fight his own state

• General in Chief and Military Advisor to Confederate President Jefferson Davis

• Known for strategic plans Offense over defense

• Surrendered April 9th to Grant

Multiple Choice

Did Robert E. Lee want to secede?

• Yes

• No

George McClellan

• Union General (1861-1864)

• Liked by men but not by Congress or Lincoln 

• Removed as General in 1864

• Started off with strong momentum, but died off quickly

Multiple Choice

George McClellan was liked by...

• The men in the army

• Congress and the President

The Balance Between the Confederates and the Union

It became clear that this war would not be easy for either side. At the onset of the war in 1861 and 1862 both sides stood as relatively equal combats.

Open Ended

Why do you think both sides were equal combats?

Advantages of the Confederates

• They were fighting defensively

• Most of the war was fought in the South so they knew the terrain

• They had the support of the civilians surrounding the battles

• The upper South gave them more resources and industrial might than what the deep South had

Disadvantages of the Confederates

• The North blockaded their Naval ports

• With their Naval ports blockaded they could not export their Cotton

• The south lacked infrastructure to move men and supplies

• Their economy began to decline

Multiple Select

What are some of the advantages of the Confederacy? (Check all that apply)

• They were fighting defensively

• Their economy boomed

• They were fighting on their homeland

• The upper South gave them more industrial might

Advantages of the Union

• The Union had a larger population

• The infrastructure and railroads in the North made it much easier to move men and supplies

• Farms in the North were able to supply the men with more food than the South

Disadvantages of the Union

• The North must go and conquer

• The had to create long supply lines

• They had to fight on unfamiliar territory

• Even if the Union wins they must pacify a defeated Confederacy after the war

Multiple Select

What are some of the disadvantages of the Union? (Check all that apply)

• Unfamiliar land

• More food rations

• Long supply lines

• Better railroads

The First Battle of Bull Run

• Many people believed that a single battle would decide the Civil War, and questioned how committed the southern rebels were

• On July 21, 1861 the two armies met for the first time along Bull Run Creek in Massachusetts

The First Battle of Bull Run

• So many Northerners believed that this battle would be a decisive win that spectators brought picnics to watch the battle take place

• The Union attacked first, but were pushed back by the confederates

• The Confederates went on to dominate the day

• This ended Union hopes of a quick and decisive win

Battle of the Wilderness 

• First Battle with Grant as head Command for the Union

• May 5, 1864

• Union army went from passive to aggressive 

• Truly in the Wilderness 

Battle of the Wilderness

• Significance: Union showed a power move as they made forward movement towards Richmond, the capital. Lead to Confederate surrender in April. 

Multiple Choice

Who was the Union General during the Battle of The Wilderness?

• Abraham Lincoln

• Ulysses S. Grant

• Robert E. Lee

Open Ended

What was the significance of the Battle of the Wilderness?