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The Battle of Fort Sumter
The Battle of Fort Sumter was the first battle of the Civil War, thus marking its importance. The battle was won by the Confederates, so it had a more positive impact on them. It gave the Confederates confidence, and showed the Union that the Confederates were a force to be reckoned with. It had a more negative impact on the Union because they lost. -
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The Civil War
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The Battle of Bull Run
The Battle of Bull Run was important because it was the second battle the Confederates won, so it gave the South confidence. This battle was a shock to the North, because they expected the war to be a quick win. They now knew it would be a long, expensive war. With this in mind, the North hired a new general and put their troops through extensive training in hopes of winning the next battle. -
The Battle of Shiloh
Although the Union victory at the Battle of Shiloh brought the North hope of more victories to come, due to his unpreparedness, it also lowered the people’s image of Grant. On the flip side, this battle lowered the South’s self esteem because it was the first battle they lost. Overall, in this battle, both sides learned that they have a chance of winning the war, but it would cost a lost of resources. -
The Battle of Antietam
In the Battle of Antietam, the difference in General Lee and General McClellan’s leadership styles were clear. It was shown that General Lee was more committed to this war than General McClellan, who suffered severe losses in the end. Despite the losses of the Union, Abraham Lincoln claimed that the Union won the battle. This claim showed that he was willing to do anything to ensure that the war continued to receive support. Despite these efforts, desertion rates went up after this battle. -
The Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was one of the biggest and bloodiest battles of the Civil War. In this battle, they used a new tactic called Urban Combat, which meant that it was fought in the city. This had a large affect because citizens were killed and the cities were damaged. In this battle the Confederate Army won, so it gave the South momentum in the war. However, this loss caused the Union to fire a General. -
The Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by Abraham Lincoln, only applied to the states that had succeeded from the Union. The Emancipation Proclamation freed all the slaves in the rebellious state, but only if the Union won the Civil War. To help them win, they accepted black men into the Union army, so they could gain extra moral support. Overall, this gave the North hope for a change, but the South just laughed at it because it had no power over them, at the time. -
The Battle of Vicksburg
Because the city was put under a seige, the battle lasted until the Confederates had to surrender their forces to the Union. This caused the South to lose a large amount of their soldiers, which they already had a shortage of. Along with the POW’s, the North gained control of the Mississippi river. This loss caused other Confederate forts to fall because Vicksburg could no longer supply them. Overall, this battle is the turning point in the war. It was only a matter of time until the North won. -
The Battle of Gettysburg
Most of the battles in the Civil War were fought in the South, until the Battle of Gettysburg. In the Battle if Gettysburg, the North had the advantage because they were fighting on high grounds in Norther Territory. Although Lee was still giving the Union a fight, the South were starting to lose faith. Overall, this battle, along with the Battle of Vicksburg, were the turning point in the war. -
Sherman's March
The changes in strategy, in Sherman’s March, not only effected the war effort, but the citizens. Sherman’s March made the South fear the North, and showed the Confederacy they couldn’t protect everyone. This made the South lose support. Overall, Sherman’s March sealed the Union Victory in the war. -
Battle/Surrender at Appomatox
The Battle of Appomattox, where Lee surrenders, is considered the last battle of the Revolutionary War. Although Lee lost the war, he is still a very respected General. In fact, he is considered a better General than Grant, but the South was at a large disadvantage, in the war. The main problems were their lack of industry, troops, support, and, most importantly, a limited central government. Overall, it was a miracle they lasted as long as they did. -
Lincoln's Assassination
For the first time in American history, the President of the United States was killed. This brought out a lot of uncertainty, especially with the African Americans, in the North and South. The African Americans were unsure of what would happen to them, since Lincoln was their biggest supporter. Despite all these worries, a small amount of the North and South came together to help each other in this hard time.
