1861: The Country Goes to War (Civil War)

1861: The Country Goes to War

The American Battlefield Trust

Lincoln Elected

President

November 6, 1860

Lincoln Elected President

In the 1860 presidential race,
four men ran for president – a
northern Democrat, a southern
Democrat, an Independent,
and Lincoln, a Republican.

Due to the choice of 4
candidates, Lincoln, carrying
the votes of the populous
North, won.

Southerners became very
fearful that the anti-slavery
Republicans would try to
change their way of life.

Multiple Choice

Why were Southerns not happy when Lincoln won?

• They felt as though he would change their way of life

• He would make slavery spread all over the Union

• He would abolish state governments to have the federal government control the US

• He wanted to become the king of the US

Secession of South Carolina

December 20, 1860

•On December 20, 1860, South Carolina formally seceded from,
or left, the Union.

•South Carolina argued that the non-slaveholding states in the
Union had violated the Constitution, specifically the fourth
article, breaking agreed upon laws; therefore, South Carolina
could leave the Union.

•Within the next six weeks, six other states voted to secede.
The Confederate States of America was established.

Multiple Choice

How did South Carolina justify seceding from the Union?

• They wanted to do whatever they wanted

• They believed the North violated the Constitution about by denying states rights

• Since they did not vote for Lincoln they did not have to listen to him and could create their own country

• They did not have any justification

South Carolina

Secedes

December 20, 1860

Secession

January & February,

1861

Open Ended

Name one state that seceded from the Union.

A President for the Confederacy

February 9, 1861

Jefferson Davis (Virginia) is chosen as the President
of the Confederate States
of America.

He will be elected later
that November.

Multiple Choice

Who became the leader of the Confederate States of America?

• Abraham Lincoln

• Stephan Douglas

• Jefferson Davis

• Andrew Johnson

Fort Sumter

April 12, 1861

Confederate forces fired on the fort,
which was unable to effectively fight
back. The United States surrendered
Fort Sumter, Union forces left the
following day.

The firing upon Fort Sumter was the
opening engagement of the American
Civil War.

Multiple Choice

Fort Sumner is considered the start of the Civil War

• True

• False

Secession

April to June 1861

Virginia Joins the Confederacy

April 17, 1861

Virginia joins the
Confederate States
of America.

Richmond becomes the
capital of the Confederacy.

Multiple Choice

What is the capital of the Confederacy?

• Washington DC

• New York City

• Atlanta

• Richmond

First Manassas (Bull Run)

July 21, 1861

The first major land battle
of the American Civil War,
The Battle of First
Manassas, also known as
BullRun, was fought just
outside of Washington
D.C.

The Idea of Union

Open Ended

What was the idea of the Union and why was it so important?