American Civil War Notes

Chapter-3 American Civil War
● In the 19th Century, the Northern states developed manufacturing

and shipping centres while the Southern states developed great
plantation industries.
● Cotton growing industry was the most important industry in the
Southern States.
● Cotton was shipped to cotton mills in Lancashire in England.
● Slaves were brought from Africa as the growth of plantations
increased, therefore increasing the demand for labour.
● The Industrial Revolution took place in the Northern States between
1815-1860.
● Northern States required only wage earning workers for running the
factories. Due to which slavery was abolished from their state and
wanted to ban it in South as well.
Causes of American Civil War
● [Technology] Northern States wanted to improve the transport and

communication system in the whole of America but Southern States
were against the idea because it could have affected the soil’s fertility.
★ [Tariff] : They aim to make imported goods cost more than equivalent
goods produced domestically, thereby causing sales of domestically
produced goods to rise; supporting local industry.
● Northern States were in favour of imposition of Protective Tariffs as it
could boost their economy by making foreign goods more expensive
and thereby increasing demand for domestic goods.
Southern States were against the imposition as they imported a wide
variety of goods from foreign markets, they felt that the protective
tariff would harm their trading interest and disturb the economy.
● [New Western States] Texas, Mexico, California etc. were to be
included in the USA; it was whether these new states would be
free-states or slave-owning states. Northern States were against the
spread of slavery while the South favoured it.
● [Freedom of States] Northern States wanted the USA to remain one

nation while Southern States wanted to secede (break away) from the
union.
● [Slavery] It was one of the major issues that led to the Civil War.
Britain and the Northern States of America had already banned it and
wanted to do so in South too, the Southern States were against the
abolishiment of slavery as their industry required more labour.
Northern States were, therefore, termed Abolitionists.
Slavery had existed in America long before American War of
Independence, the north abolished it after the War while it flourished
in the Southern States. Slavery was indispensable for the economy of
the Southern States. Slaves were treated as movable property by the
slave owners. Many European countries including the northern states
felt that slavery was a kind of social injustice and every must be free
from it.
William Lloyd Garrison led an abolitionist movement by establishing

the American Anti-Slavery Society .
➔ The two literary thrust to the American Civil War was given by 2
novels:
1) Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1852: It highlights a
sentimental portrayal of the brutal impact of slavery. It laid the
groundwork of the Civil War.
2) Impending Crisis of the South by Hinton Rowan Helper in 1857: It
gives an effective argument on how slavery had a disastrous effect to
the non-slave (slave-free) states holding white majority in the South.
➔ Abraham Lincoln the 16th President of the USA, he believed on the
premise (a previous statement) that all men are created equal. Due to
this reason, he didn’t allow the extension of slavery in the newly
established western states of America. In 1861, the western states
formed the Confederate States of America and chose Jefferson
Davis as their President. The eleven slave-owning states were South
Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiane, Texas,
Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee and North Carolina .
Main Events of the American Civil War
The American Civil War broke out on 12th April 1861 when
southerners opened fire and bombarded Fort Sumter where the
offices of the federal government was situated in South Carolina. In
the critical situation, Abraham Lincoln declared war on the Southern
States.
The northern forces clashed with the Confederate Army and fought
numerous battles between them. Lincoln imposed a blockade on the
southern states due to which vessels attempting to enter the
Southern Confederacy were captured before entering.
Initially, no side emerged to be dominant in the war. However, later
on, the Union of the Northern States stood out as the powerful
authority.
The Battle of Gettysburg fought in 1863 is considered as a turning
point in the American Civil War. Robert Lee, Confederate General,
fought the Union army (North) which was under the leadership of
military commander George C Meade.
The two states suffered more than 45,000 casualties in this war. In
1863, a famous speech, Gettysburg Address was delivered by
Abraham Lincoln. He dedicated the National Cemetery at Gettysburg
to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the nation. Slavery was
abolished by Lincoln in 1865.
In 1864, the Confederate Army was attacked by General Grant in

Virginia. The American Civil War ended on 9 April 1865 after four
years of fierce fighting when Robert Lee, Confederate General,
surrendered to the Union General Ulysses Grant along with his army.
The unity of America was preserved as northern states won the war.
Jefferson Davis Ulysses Grant
Result of the Civil War
American Civil War the most fierce civil war in the history of America.
Nearly 6 lakh people lost their lives in this war.
The war was fought mainly in the south. Due to which southern states
became poor within a few years.
Northern states had superior resources and the leadership of
President Lincoln.
It established the fact that the American Federation was an
indestructible Union of States and no state had the right to secede.
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was a witty, thoughtful and a kind-hearted person.

He was born in a log cabin in Kentucky in the year 1809. He became
a member of the Republican Party in 1854. He was nominated by the
Republican Party for the Presidency and became the 16th President
of America in 1861.
Lincoln believed in the equality of men. He wanted to preserve the
Union and abolish slavery. He was a great orator(a public speaker).
The speech he delivered at Gettysburg is one of the best speeches
in American History. India was also inspired by the speech for
establishing democracy.
Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1862
which declared slavery illegal in the southern states. Slaves were
granted citizenship and voting rights after the war. The thirteenth
amendment to the United States Constitution abolished slavery in
1865. Lincoln made plans to repair the damages and heal the wounds
of the south. He was shot dead by a mad southern actor in a
Washington Theatre after 10 days of the victory of the Union.

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Chapter-3 American Civil War

● In the 19th Century, the Northern states developed manufacturing

Causes of American Civil War

● [Technology] Northern States wanted to improve the transport and

● [Freedom of States] Northern States wanted the USA to remain one

William Lloyd Garrison led an abolitionist movement by establishing

Main Events of the American Civil War

In 1864, the Confederate Army was attacked by General Grant in

Jefferson Davis Ulysses Grant

Result of the Civil War

Abraham Lincoln was a witty, thoughtful and a kind-hearted person.

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