Secession

South Carolina Secedes: Dec. 20, 1860

Fort Sumter: Background

Confederate officials began seizing federal buildings-mints, post offices, arsenals, and military posts.

Fort Sumter was a federal outpost in Charleston, SC.

Border states-slave states that don't secede from the union.

Fort Sumter: The Dilemma

Confederate forces asked for its surrender.

Lincoln has 2 choices:

Force way to reinforce fort

Evacuate Fort

Lincoln refused and sent ships with supplies

Jefferson Davis 2 choices:

Do nothing

Attack

Fort Sumter: April 12, 1861

Confederate cannons began firing on April 12, 1861.

Fort Sumter fell in 34 hours

The Official Start to the Civil-War

The Next Wave of Secession

Lincoln called for 75,000 troops

VA not willing to fight other Southern states, seceded.

WV created by counties who disagreed

NC, AK, and TN followed

MD, DE, KY, and MO did not secede, but many in these states had secessionist sentiments—BORDER STATES

The North's Strategy

"Anaconda" Plan

surround and divide the Confederacy & “squeeze” them with blockade and invasion

Northern Advantages

Larger population

North 22 million

south only 9 million

More Ships

Larger, efficient railroad system

Lincoln - very intelligent and dedicated-wants to learn everything

More industry - 81% of nation's factories

Better banking system to raise $ for the war

Cont.

Factory production

Iron production

Wealth produced:

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Northern Disadvantages

Fought mostly in the South

Divided support for the war-draft riots

Many believed the South had good chance of winning

Southern Advantages

Fighting a defensive war

Local support of all men

Familiarty with terrain

Motivation: seeking independece-second American Revolution

Short communication lines/friendly population

Experienced officer corps-(Lee, Jackson, Pickett

cotton - necessary for textile factories of England and France

Slave Labor in the early part of the war

Southern Disadvantages

Smaller population

Few factories to manufacture weapons and supplies

Poor transportation system

weak federal govt. = not strong enough to control southern states

Jefferson Davis did not have complete power like Lincoln