🎖️Civil War and Reconstruction Unit 5 – The Home Front During the Civil War

Key Events and Timeline

• Fort Sumter attacked by Confederate forces in April 1861 marking the beginning of the Civil War
• First Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas) in July 1861 resulted in a Confederate victory and shattered hopes of a quick Union victory
• Enrollment Act of 1863 instituted the first national draft in U.S. history leading to riots in several cities
  • New York City Draft Riots in July 1863 were the largest civil disturbance in U.S. history up to that point
• Gettysburg Address delivered by Abraham Lincoln in November 1863 at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
• Sherman's March to the Sea from November to December 1864 devastated Georgia and the Confederacy
• Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in April 1865 effectively ending the Civil War
• President Abraham Lincoln assassinated by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. in April 1865

Political Climate and Policies

• Secession of Southern states following the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 led to the formation of the Confederate States of America
• Habeas Corpus suspended by Lincoln in 1861 allowing for arrest and detention of suspected secessionists without trial
• Confiscation Acts of 1861 and 1862 allowed for the seizure of Confederate property and the emancipation of slaves
• Emancipation Proclamation issued by Lincoln in 1863 declared all slaves in rebellious states to be forever free
  • Did not apply to border states or parts of the Confederacy already under Union control
• Conscription (draft) enacted by both the Union and Confederacy to bolster troop numbers
  • Substitution and commutation provisions favored the wealthy and led to resentment
• Copperheads, Northern Democrats who opposed the war and favored peace with the Confederacy, posed a political challenge for Lincoln
• Election of 1864 featured Lincoln (Republican) vs. McClellan (Democrat) with Lincoln winning 55% of the popular vote

Economic Impact and Measures

• Union blockade of Southern ports disrupted Confederate trade and inflicted economic damage
• Inflation plagued both the North and South with prices rising dramatically
  • Confederate inflation reached 9000% by the end of the war
• Greenback paper currency introduced by the Union government to finance the war effort
• Income tax levied for the first time in U.S. history as a wartime measure
• Cotton production in the South plummeted due to the blockade and loss of labor
  • "King Cotton" diplomacy failed to secure European intervention on behalf of the Confederacy
• Union economy shifted towards wartime production leading to growth in manufacturing and industry
• Economic challenges on the home front included rising prices, shortages of goods, and speculation
• Bread riots erupted in the Confederacy as women protested against food shortages and inflation

Social Changes and Challenges

• Urbanization accelerated in the North as workers flocked to cities for wartime production jobs
• Civilian morale tested by the duration and brutality of the conflict, especially in the South
• Riots and unrest occurred in both the North and South in response to conscription, shortages, and other grievances
  • Richmond Bread Riots in 1863 saw Southern women ransack stores and warehouses for food
• Families and communities strained by the absence of men serving in the military
  • Women left to manage households and farms on their own
• Thousands of civilians displaced by military campaigns and shifting battle lines
  • Refugees strained resources and posed challenges for both governments
• Charitable organizations and local aid societies formed to assist soldiers, families, and displaced persons
  • U.S. Sanitary Commission provided medical care and supplies to Union troops
• Nationalism and patriotism surged, particularly in the North, with calls for sacrifice and unity
  • "Rally 'Round the Flag" sentiment boosted enlistment and support for the war effort

Women's Roles and Contributions

• Women assumed new roles and responsibilities on the home front in the absence of men
  • Managed farms, businesses, and households independently
• Volunteered for charitable organizations and relief efforts to support soldiers and families
  • Sewed uniforms, prepared care packages, and organized fundraisers
• Served as nurses in hospitals and on battlefields tending to sick and wounded soldiers
  • Clara Barton, Dorothea Dix, and Mary Ann Bickerdyke were notable nurses
• Worked in factories, government offices, and other wartime industries to fill labor shortages
  • Arsenal workers, clerks, and telegraph operators among the jobs women performed
• Acted as spies and smugglers for both the Union and Confederacy
  • Rose O'Neal Greenhow and Belle Boyd were famous Confederate spies
• Disguised themselves as men to serve as soldiers in combat
  • Estimates of 400-1000 women fought on both sides, motivated by patriotism, adventure, or to follow loved ones
• Authored novels, poems, and articles to shape public opinion and rally support for the war
  • Louisa May Alcott and Emily Dickinson were prominent Northern writers
• Challenged traditional gender roles and expectations through their wartime activities and experiences

African Americans and Emancipation

• Slavery and its expansion a central cause of the sectional tensions that led to the Civil War
• Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 transformed the war into a struggle for freedom and liberation
  • 180,000 African American men served in the Union army and navy by war's end
• United States Colored Troops (USCT) made up 10% of the Union army and participated in 41 major battles
  • 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was the most famous USCT regiment
• Black soldiers faced discrimination, unequal pay, and harsher treatment if captured by Confederate forces
  • Fort Pillow Massacre in 1864 saw Confederate troops execute black Union prisoners
• Enslaved people self-emancipated by fleeing to Union lines or joining the Union army
  • "Contraband camps" established to house and employ escaped slaves
• African Americans aided the Union cause as spies, scouts, and laborers
  • Harriet Tubman served as a Union spy and led raids into Confederate territory
• Freedmen's Bureau established in 1865 to assist former slaves in transition to freedom
  • Provided food, housing, education, and legal protection for freedpeople
• 13th Amendment passed in 1865 abolishing slavery throughout the United States
  • Ratification of amendment was a condition for Southern states to reenter the Union

Technological and Industrial Advancements

• Railroads played a crucial role in transporting troops and supplies for both sides
  • Union held a significant advantage with 21,000 miles of track compared to 9,000 for the Confederacy
• Telegraph revolutionized military communications and coordination of strategy
  • Over 15,000 miles of telegraph wire laid during the war
• Photography documented the war and brought its realities home to the public
  • Mathew Brady and Alexander Gardner were notable Civil War photographers
• Ironclad warships introduced, transforming naval warfare
  • Battle of Hampton Roads in 1862 was the first clash between ironclads (USS Monitor and CSS Virginia)
• Repeating rifles and breech-loading artillery improved the range, accuracy, and rate of fire on the battlefield
  • Spencer repeating rifle could fire 7 shots in 30 seconds
• Mass production techniques and standardized parts enhanced the manufacturing of weapons and equipment
  • Samuel Colt's revolver factory produced 130,000 pistols for the Union army
• Canned food and condensed milk improved field rations and nutrition for soldiers
  • Gail Borden's condensed milk factory supplied the Union army
• Anesthesia and antisepsis improved survival rates and recovery times for wounded soldiers
  • Chloroform used in 95% of surgical procedures by war's end

Cultural Shifts and Public Opinion

• Music and literature reflected the patriotic fervor, sacrifices, and sorrows of the war
  • "Battle Hymn of the Republic" and "Dixie" were popular songs on both sides
• Newspapers and magazines kept the public informed about the war's progress and debates
  • Harper's Weekly and Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper featured battlefield illustrations
• Propaganda and rumors spread by both governments to maintain morale and demonize the enemy
  • Atrocity stories and exaggerated accounts of victories were common
• Political cartoons and satirical publications critiqued leaders, policies, and events
  • Thomas Nast and Adalbert Volck were influential cartoonists
• Wartime nationalism fueled anti-immigrant sentiment, particularly towards the Irish in the North
  • Nativism and xenophobia exacerbated social tensions in Northern cities
• Thanksgiving established as a national holiday in 1863 to promote unity and gratitude
  • Sarah Josepha Hale had lobbied for the holiday since the 1840s
• Spiritualism and religious revivals surged as people sought comfort and meaning in the face of death and loss
  • Seances, prayer meetings, and mourning rituals helped the bereaved cope
• Shifting gender roles and expectations as women took on new responsibilities and challenges
  • Wartime experiences laid the groundwork for the postwar women's suffrage movement