Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Thanks!
Thank you for using my blog! I worked very hard on it and hopefully you have learned a lot from taking a look at it. It took some time but I myself have learned many things during this unit. I now have a special connection to my blog, and think that it will be hard to leave it....yah just kidding. Anyway, I really like the idea of the blog because it did not take any paper and plus, it was very easy to use. Thanks again!!!!!
Ku Klux Klan
Sources
Information: http://archive.adl.org/learn/ext_us/kkk/default.asp?LEARN_Cat=Extremism&LEARN_SubCat=Extremism_in_America&xpicked=4&item=kkk and http://www.history.com/topics/ku-klux-klan
Photos: http://icplibrary.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/wes_003.jpg and http://www.gutenberg.org/files/31819/31819-h/images/imagep019.jpg
Henry McNeal Turner and black legislators
During the Reconstruction Period black legislators were for the first time allowed to be part of the government. Between 1867 and 1872, sixty nine black Georgia delegates served for the state legislature. One of the most prominent figures during this time was Henry McNeal Turner. Turner came from Washington D.C. to win black congregations from the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He was a strong Republican and was a prominent black leader who had brilliant ideas. He was born in 1834 in South Carolina but was never a slave. He managed to get an education and became a minister during his early years. Once he realized of the Reconstruction Plans, he decided to switch careers into the political field. He helped organize Georgia's Republican Party, served in the Constitutional Convention, and was in the House of Representatives, representing Macon. In 1869, Turner was appointed postmaster by the Republican Administration. He was upset about the unfairness blacks faced in the south form Democrats, he was actually part of a little skirmish between the Democrats. Henry was a part of the Georgia General Assembly, part he and other black legislators were removed by radical Democrats. The Democrats excuse was that the right to vote did not mean that blacks could hold any sort of office. The Federal Government, and eventually the black legislatures did return to their seats. It was just another sign that tension had not sizzled since the war.
Sources
Information: Notes and http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-632
Photos: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/Henry_McNeil_Turner.jpg/220px-Henry_McNeil_Turner.jpg
Sources
Information: Notes and http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-632
Photos: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/Henry_McNeil_Turner.jpg/220px-Henry_McNeil_Turner.jpg
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Sharecropping/Tenant Farming, Reconstruction Plans, and 13th, 14th, 15th Amendments
Sharecropping & Tenant Farming
The war had finally ended, and the real United States needed to get back on its feet. Hundreds of miles of farmland had been destroyed, and the south was in need of some help after almost four million slaves had been freed since the end of the Civil War. Sharecropping had developed from the Freedman's Bureau and was designed for blacks to be able to talk about deals with their former owners about land and such, but blacks did not like the system and refused to participate. So sharecropping was a good alternative. Sharecropping was good because after the war many plantation owners land had been returned back to them. The only problem was that they had no one to farm their crops. Likewise, the former slaves had nowhere to work, so they were open to the idea of sharecropping as well. Land owners would hire people to grow agriculture and the people would come and work. The owners did not have to pay the workers, but the workers would have a place to stay and food to eat. Sharecropping life was not a great one, although the workers did learn how to grow crops and were able to pay off debts and save some money. By 1880, 32 percent of Georgia's farms were operated by sharecroppers. Sharecropping came to an end in the mid twentieth century, mostly because of the lure of big cities and the little need for farming anymore. Tenant farming was basically a step up from sharecropping. Tenant farmers came with their own equipment, and the land owner provided the house and the land. At the end of the year, the farmers paid the owners some share of the crop they had used their land to make.
Reconstruction Plans
A lot of healing was going to have to be done in order to get the U.S. back to the place it was before the war. Lincoln had been elected to his second term and was looking to bring the country back. The president was not looking to punish the southerners; he just wanted to get them back into the Union as soon as possible. Lincoln said that if the southerners pardoned after taking an oath of allegiance, and when ten percent of the voters took the oath, the state could rejoin the Union. Other prominent political leaders agreed, some added that they wanted the ordinances of secessions nullified, amendments to help the blacks, and for the Confederate states to be placed under military rule. Reconstruction was a time of great sacrifice and compromise, the states had a long road ahead of them, but they would find a way to break through.
13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments
The freed blacks were out in the world for the first time. It was not going to be easy for them to get on their feet and be successful. They needed some government support to allow them to have some of the basic rights they should have had long ago. The first step was officially banning slavery. The 13th did just that, on January 31, 1865, the Congress passed the amendment that read, "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." The 14th amendment covered many things; it was ratified by the states on July 9, 1868. It granted citzenship to all people born in the United States, which included the freed slaves. It forbids states from denying any person "life, liberty or property, without due process of law" or to "deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” The 15th Amendment was ratified on February 3, 1870, and it granted, "Right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." Although this law was put into act, the malicious southerners were able to cheat it. With the use of poll taxes, literacy tests, and the grandfather clause, black men would not truly be able to vote for another hundred years. All in all, these acts gave the blacks a cushion and happiness knowing they could not and should not be able to be denied of their rights.
Sources
Inforamtion:
Sharecropping and Tenant Farming - http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-3590 and Notes
Reconstruction Plans - Notes
Amendments - 13th http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/13thamendment.html
14th http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/14thamendment.html
15th http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/15thamendment.html
Pictures:
Sharecropping http://histclo.com/imagef/date/2007/07/share36s.jpg
Reconstruction Plans http://whgbetc.com/mind/reconstruction_congress.jpg
13th Amendment http://www.laits.utexas.edu/txp_media/html/cons/features/0206_01/slide3.gif
The war had finally ended, and the real United States needed to get back on its feet. Hundreds of miles of farmland had been destroyed, and the south was in need of some help after almost four million slaves had been freed since the end of the Civil War. Sharecropping had developed from the Freedman's Bureau and was designed for blacks to be able to talk about deals with their former owners about land and such, but blacks did not like the system and refused to participate. So sharecropping was a good alternative. Sharecropping was good because after the war many plantation owners land had been returned back to them. The only problem was that they had no one to farm their crops. Likewise, the former slaves had nowhere to work, so they were open to the idea of sharecropping as well. Land owners would hire people to grow agriculture and the people would come and work. The owners did not have to pay the workers, but the workers would have a place to stay and food to eat. Sharecropping life was not a great one, although the workers did learn how to grow crops and were able to pay off debts and save some money. By 1880, 32 percent of Georgia's farms were operated by sharecroppers. Sharecropping came to an end in the mid twentieth century, mostly because of the lure of big cities and the little need for farming anymore. Tenant farming was basically a step up from sharecropping. Tenant farmers came with their own equipment, and the land owner provided the house and the land. At the end of the year, the farmers paid the owners some share of the crop they had used their land to make. Reconstruction Plans
A lot of healing was going to have to be done in order to get the U.S. back to the place it was before the war. Lincoln had been elected to his second term and was looking to bring the country back. The president was not looking to punish the southerners; he just wanted to get them back into the Union as soon as possible. Lincoln said that if the southerners pardoned after taking an oath of allegiance, and when ten percent of the voters took the oath, the state could rejoin the Union. Other prominent political leaders agreed, some added that they wanted the ordinances of secessions nullified, amendments to help the blacks, and for the Confederate states to be placed under military rule. Reconstruction was a time of great sacrifice and compromise, the states had a long road ahead of them, but they would find a way to break through. 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments
The freed blacks were out in the world for the first time. It was not going to be easy for them to get on their feet and be successful. They needed some government support to allow them to have some of the basic rights they should have had long ago. The first step was officially banning slavery. The 13th did just that, on January 31, 1865, the Congress passed the amendment that read, "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." The 14th amendment covered many things; it was ratified by the states on July 9, 1868. It granted citzenship to all people born in the United States, which included the freed slaves. It forbids states from denying any person "life, liberty or property, without due process of law" or to "deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” The 15th Amendment was ratified on February 3, 1870, and it granted, "Right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." Although this law was put into act, the malicious southerners were able to cheat it. With the use of poll taxes, literacy tests, and the grandfather clause, black men would not truly be able to vote for another hundred years. All in all, these acts gave the blacks a cushion and happiness knowing they could not and should not be able to be denied of their rights.
Sources
Inforamtion:
Sharecropping and Tenant Farming - http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-3590 and Notes
Reconstruction Plans - Notes
Amendments - 13th http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/13thamendment.html
14th http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/14thamendment.html
15th http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/15thamendment.html
Pictures:
Sharecropping http://histclo.com/imagef/date/2007/07/share36s.jpg
Reconstruction Plans http://whgbetc.com/mind/reconstruction_congress.jpg
13th Amendment http://www.laits.utexas.edu/txp_media/html/cons/features/0206_01/slide3.gif
Monday, March 11, 2013
Andersonville and Freendman's Bureau
Andersonville
Andersonville was a prison in the middle of Georgia, southeast of Macon. The prison's purpose was to hold Union war prisoners captive. The reason why the death trap was located in such a remote area was that it was inland and was a safe distance from any possible fighting that may be taking place in the south. Now Andersonville was not a place you wanted to be. The fresh water swamp that was supposed to be used for drinking was now invested with insects, disease, and poop. Anyone who drank this water could be killed. Conditions in the prison were about as bad as it gets. Gangs started to form, and there most of the time food was not even cooked. The food was placed on the same cart that carried out the dead bodies in the morning. Of course, the cart was not cleaned at all. The guards did not make it much better. The firewood that was supposed to keep the prisoners warm was taken away because it was used as a weapon. Although, some prisoners looked out for each other by doing some crazy things. Shebangs, which were basically shacks made out of anything you could find were shared amongst the man. Sometimes though, women were found when dead bodies were taken out to the stock house. One man named John Ransom decided to make the best of this awful nightmare. Eventhough there was no soap, Ransom made a barber shop and even a laundry mat; he did have to use sand for soap. Prisoners also scraped together anything they could find and traded or sold them. Andersonville became almost a market place. As Sherman's army drew closer and closer, prisoners were shipped elsewhere, so there was a great decline in the prisons population in 1864. Andersonville was a terrible place; it took 13,000 people's lives out of the 45,000 that entered.
Freedman's Bureau
After the war America was in a mess. Abraham Lincoln was still president, and the south was back to being a part of the United States of America. Most of Virginia and its bordering states had been tarnished with war, and Georgia had been hit hard as well. But most importantly, a whole new race was now really a part of the country. Blacks were free, but racists still flocked around, ruining the black peoples chance at an equal life. The African Americans needed help; they had no idea how to live on their own. In March 1865, the Freedman's Bureau was passed. It was an agency, the first of its kind, whose sole responsibility was to make sure blacks got equal chances. Major General Oliver O. Howard, from Sherman's March, led the agency into furnishing rations to those who were displaced in the war, established schools and hospitals, and supervised the development of a contract labor system. On May 20, 1865, Howard appointed General Rufus Saxton as the commander of the Bureau in Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia. Saxton was a big supporter of free labor and contracts, which would help in the years to come, but the states were just in so much of a mess, he could not handle it. So in September of 1865, he was relieved of his duty in Georgia and General Davis Tillson took control. By September of the next year Tillson had served over 800,000 rations statewide. Tillson also though farming was important. He supported free labor and thought that white men should get paid for the work they did just as the blacks did. Tillson's greatest contribution was in the land category. As the war was coming to an end, Sherman issued special field order 15, granting all the land along the coast to free slaves. Andrew Johnson overturned this order and Tillson worked to get the land back to its original owners. When Tillson retired in 1867, Caleb S. Sibley took command. He divided Georgia up into sub districts, which gave Georgia some organization but the plan caused severe money issues and Sibley retired soon after. Education was now of the upmost importance to Georgians. The Freedmen's Bureau got it done. Sixty schools were established and over 30,000 freed people learned how to read. The Freedman's Bureau was filled with ups and downs, but it gave Georgia the lift and starting point it needed to get the "new" country off on the right foot.
Sources
Information:
Andersonville: Notes
Freedmen's Bureau: http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-3257
Pictures:
Andersonville http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1d/Andersonville_Prison.jpg/400px-Andersonville_Prison.jpg
Freedmen's Bureau http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/33/Freedman's_bureau.jpg/250px-Freedman's_bureau.jpg
Andersonville was a prison in the middle of Georgia, southeast of Macon. The prison's purpose was to hold Union war prisoners captive. The reason why the death trap was located in such a remote area was that it was inland and was a safe distance from any possible fighting that may be taking place in the south. Now Andersonville was not a place you wanted to be. The fresh water swamp that was supposed to be used for drinking was now invested with insects, disease, and poop. Anyone who drank this water could be killed. Conditions in the prison were about as bad as it gets. Gangs started to form, and there most of the time food was not even cooked. The food was placed on the same cart that carried out the dead bodies in the morning. Of course, the cart was not cleaned at all. The guards did not make it much better. The firewood that was supposed to keep the prisoners warm was taken away because it was used as a weapon. Although, some prisoners looked out for each other by doing some crazy things. Shebangs, which were basically shacks made out of anything you could find were shared amongst the man. Sometimes though, women were found when dead bodies were taken out to the stock house. One man named John Ransom decided to make the best of this awful nightmare. Eventhough there was no soap, Ransom made a barber shop and even a laundry mat; he did have to use sand for soap. Prisoners also scraped together anything they could find and traded or sold them. Andersonville became almost a market place. As Sherman's army drew closer and closer, prisoners were shipped elsewhere, so there was a great decline in the prisons population in 1864. Andersonville was a terrible place; it took 13,000 people's lives out of the 45,000 that entered. Freedman's Bureau
After the war America was in a mess. Abraham Lincoln was still president, and the south was back to being a part of the United States of America. Most of Virginia and its bordering states had been tarnished with war, and Georgia had been hit hard as well. But most importantly, a whole new race was now really a part of the country. Blacks were free, but racists still flocked around, ruining the black peoples chance at an equal life. The African Americans needed help; they had no idea how to live on their own. In March 1865, the Freedman's Bureau was passed. It was an agency, the first of its kind, whose sole responsibility was to make sure blacks got equal chances. Major General Oliver O. Howard, from Sherman's March, led the agency into furnishing rations to those who were displaced in the war, established schools and hospitals, and supervised the development of a contract labor system. On May 20, 1865, Howard appointed General Rufus Saxton as the commander of the Bureau in Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia. Saxton was a big supporter of free labor and contracts, which would help in the years to come, but the states were just in so much of a mess, he could not handle it. So in September of 1865, he was relieved of his duty in Georgia and General Davis Tillson took control. By September of the next year Tillson had served over 800,000 rations statewide. Tillson also though farming was important. He supported free labor and thought that white men should get paid for the work they did just as the blacks did. Tillson's greatest contribution was in the land category. As the war was coming to an end, Sherman issued special field order 15, granting all the land along the coast to free slaves. Andrew Johnson overturned this order and Tillson worked to get the land back to its original owners. When Tillson retired in 1867, Caleb S. Sibley took command. He divided Georgia up into sub districts, which gave Georgia some organization but the plan caused severe money issues and Sibley retired soon after. Education was now of the upmost importance to Georgians. The Freedmen's Bureau got it done. Sixty schools were established and over 30,000 freed people learned how to read. The Freedman's Bureau was filled with ups and downs, but it gave Georgia the lift and starting point it needed to get the "new" country off on the right foot. Sources
Information:
Andersonville: Notes
Freedmen's Bureau: http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-3257
Pictures:
Andersonville http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1d/Andersonville_Prison.jpg/400px-Andersonville_Prison.jpg
Freedmen's Bureau http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/33/Freedman's_bureau.jpg/250px-Freedman's_bureau.jpg
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Sherman's Atlanta Campaign and March
Atlanta Campaign
The war had been at a stale mate for a while now. Neither side had been able to win any big battles of late, so the Confederates and the Union were basically sitting around waiting. The Confederacy was on the wrong side though, soldiers were losing hope and because the south was inexperienced, they did not have much of a chance. Although, the Union had not been doing the things it was going to take to win the war. All the rebels had to do was not be beat. The plan to keep up this defensive strategy was simple; keep Ulysses S. Grant's army away from Richmond, and make sure that Joseph E. Johnston's army did not give Atlanta to William Sherman's army at bay. If the south could keep up this defensive plan until November of 1864, then George B. McClellan might win the election. If you remember, McClellan had been demoted by Lincoln as commander so he was looking for revenge, so he claimed that he would file for truce and end the war. Although, Sherman refused to let that happen, he could not see the bad southerners get their way and become their own country. He was a war veteran but had failed as a business man in the years since. William went back onto the battlefield for the Civil War, but he became so stressed that he went home. At one point he even contemplated taking his own life. His wife saved him, he wrote to Lincoln begging him for another chance. Sherman quickly rose in the ranks and bonded with the drunk, Ulysses S. Grant. They overcame their imperfections, and Grant ended up becoming the commander of the Union army. Both men wanted to end the war as soon as possible, and it seemed like it would be coming soon, considering the two had not been stopped since they had teamed up. The Atlanta Campaign had begun with a little skirmish at Tunnel Hill in May of 1864. Sherman was facing General Johnston who had a history of being very timid when it came to fighting. So Sherman was confident, he outnumbered the Confederate army, his troops had high spirits, and the soldiers knew they would be fed, well at least until Atlanta. Sherman stormed his way down and quickly got close to Atlanta. By May, the civilians of Atlanta knew the fall was coming. Atlanta had doubled in population since the war had begun and its industry was booming. Sherman would let nothing stand in his way. Jefferson Davis heard the news too, so he fired Johnston and replaced with John B. Hood. Hood took over on July 18, and meanwhile Sherman's army was just miles outside the city. The Union went around the outskirts of Atlanta, breaking and destroying train tracks along the way. The two armies finally met in Jonesboro, and fought hard. Sherman than invaded Atlanta, burning and eating away at everything he could. While the whole city seemed to burn in ashes, only 30 percent was burned. But for the people it seemed like more. The ones who had decided to stay had to see their homes burned and crops taken. The city that had grown so much during the Civil War now had to start back up. William Sherman ordered an evacuation of the city, and planted his headquarters here. It was in Atlanta that he would regroup and plan for the infamous March to the Sea.
Sherman's March to the Sea
Sherman had Atlanta under his control, but wanted to move on. He could leave though until he received approval from the White House that he may continue on his rampage through Georgia. Sherman wanted to run down Georgia to Savannah, destroying everything in his path. For two months he headquartered in Atlanta and prepared for what historians called "hard war" or "total war", even "scorching earth". William and Ulysses S. Grant had become good friends during the latter stages of the Civil War, so the Union Army leader was able to convince Lincoln, who had just become the president once again, to allow the expedition. Abraham wanted Sherman to go through Alabama and destroy some ports in Mobile, but Sherman convinced him otherwise and the March officially began on November 15, 1864. William T. Sherman made some risky moves; he cut off all supply lines but studied census maps closely to see where his soldiers would be able to steal food from farmers. General John B. Hood who had just become commander of the Confederate Army was at a loss of words when Sherman's plan of raid spread across the south. Hood decided to take a risky move and abandoned Atlanta and headed west. He moved his troops up into Tennessee and down into Alabama, hoping that Sherman would follow. Sherman did not take the bait, but he did send General George H. Thomas up to finish the rebels off. Sherman divided his roughly 60,000 troops into two wings. The right wing was commanded by Oliver O. Howard and the right wing was commanded by Henry W. Slocum. The Confederates on the other hand had about 8,000 men and were commanded by Joseph Wheeler. Sherman, also called "Uncle Billy" on the march, had only 2,500 supply wagons and 800 ambulances with him. It was obvious they would be living off the land. The two wings went two different routes, the right one going to Macon and the left one going to Augusta. They came across each other and head toward the then capital, Milledgeville. On November 23, the state capital surrendered knowing that there was no way they could stop Sherman. William occupied the vacant governor's mansion and capital building. The army became quite comfortable on the trek. "Bummers" would do the dirty work and raid people's houses in search for food. But they often stole more things, including silver, pots, pans, gold, and live animals. Because many husbands were at war, the poor women could not fend for themselves. Slaves came along the journey too. Most Union soldiers had never seen a black person before, but they believed slavery was wrong and welcomed the former slaves along. Although, Sherman did not really want blacks to come along on the march. The army was on limited supply and Sherman did not think a black man was above a white one. Most slaves did not care, they were free for the first time and being a part of this march would be the first real thing they had done as a free man. Sherman's army moved through Georgia at ease, most people had already evacuated the state after the Confederate army realized what was happening. The biggest battle occurred at Fort McAllister on December 13. Not many died, but by capturing this fort, Savannah's gates had been opened. Sherman now had Savannah at his fingertips. He went to Hilton Head, South Carolina to make final preparations. Mayor Richard Arnold of Savannah realized that nothing could be done, so he surrendered Savannah on December 22. Sherman wrote Lincoln a telegraph offering 25,000 bales of cotton to the president as a Christmas gift. Sherman's March to the Sea was an act only the bravest man would attempt. The march scared and demoralized folks of Georgia. While Sherman did not burn anything else and not many more actual fights occurred, the state was in a terrible position. The hope for winning the war was gone and the southerners were without husbands, food, slaves, and for some, a place to stay.
Sources
Information:
Campaign - Notes and
March - Notes and
Photos
Railroads -
Sherman - http://cwmemory.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/general-william-tecumseh-sherman.jpg
The war had been at a stale mate for a while now. Neither side had been able to win any big battles of late, so the Confederates and the Union were basically sitting around waiting. The Confederacy was on the wrong side though, soldiers were losing hope and because the south was inexperienced, they did not have much of a chance. Although, the Union had not been doing the things it was going to take to win the war. All the rebels had to do was not be beat. The plan to keep up this defensive strategy was simple; keep Ulysses S. Grant's army away from Richmond, and make sure that Joseph E. Johnston's army did not give Atlanta to William Sherman's army at bay. If the south could keep up this defensive plan until November of 1864, then George B. McClellan might win the election. If you remember, McClellan had been demoted by Lincoln as commander so he was looking for revenge, so he claimed that he would file for truce and end the war. Although, Sherman refused to let that happen, he could not see the bad southerners get their way and become their own country. He was a war veteran but had failed as a business man in the years since. William went back onto the battlefield for the Civil War, but he became so stressed that he went home. At one point he even contemplated taking his own life. His wife saved him, he wrote to Lincoln begging him for another chance. Sherman quickly rose in the ranks and bonded with the drunk, Ulysses S. Grant. They overcame their imperfections, and Grant ended up becoming the commander of the Union army. Both men wanted to end the war as soon as possible, and it seemed like it would be coming soon, considering the two had not been stopped since they had teamed up. The Atlanta Campaign had begun with a little skirmish at Tunnel Hill in May of 1864. Sherman was facing General Johnston who had a history of being very timid when it came to fighting. So Sherman was confident, he outnumbered the Confederate army, his troops had high spirits, and the soldiers knew they would be fed, well at least until Atlanta. Sherman stormed his way down and quickly got close to Atlanta. By May, the civilians of Atlanta knew the fall was coming. Atlanta had doubled in population since the war had begun and its industry was booming. Sherman would let nothing stand in his way. Jefferson Davis heard the news too, so he fired Johnston and replaced with John B. Hood. Hood took over on July 18, and meanwhile Sherman's army was just miles outside the city. The Union went around the outskirts of Atlanta, breaking and destroying train tracks along the way. The two armies finally met in Jonesboro, and fought hard. Sherman than invaded Atlanta, burning and eating away at everything he could. While the whole city seemed to burn in ashes, only 30 percent was burned. But for the people it seemed like more. The ones who had decided to stay had to see their homes burned and crops taken. The city that had grown so much during the Civil War now had to start back up. William Sherman ordered an evacuation of the city, and planted his headquarters here. It was in Atlanta that he would regroup and plan for the infamous March to the Sea.
Sherman's March to the Sea
Sherman had Atlanta under his control, but wanted to move on. He could leave though until he received approval from the White House that he may continue on his rampage through Georgia. Sherman wanted to run down Georgia to Savannah, destroying everything in his path. For two months he headquartered in Atlanta and prepared for what historians called "hard war" or "total war", even "scorching earth". William and Ulysses S. Grant had become good friends during the latter stages of the Civil War, so the Union Army leader was able to convince Lincoln, who had just become the president once again, to allow the expedition. Abraham wanted Sherman to go through Alabama and destroy some ports in Mobile, but Sherman convinced him otherwise and the March officially began on November 15, 1864. William T. Sherman made some risky moves; he cut off all supply lines but studied census maps closely to see where his soldiers would be able to steal food from farmers. General John B. Hood who had just become commander of the Confederate Army was at a loss of words when Sherman's plan of raid spread across the south. Hood decided to take a risky move and abandoned Atlanta and headed west. He moved his troops up into Tennessee and down into Alabama, hoping that Sherman would follow. Sherman did not take the bait, but he did send General George H. Thomas up to finish the rebels off. Sherman divided his roughly 60,000 troops into two wings. The right wing was commanded by Oliver O. Howard and the right wing was commanded by Henry W. Slocum. The Confederates on the other hand had about 8,000 men and were commanded by Joseph Wheeler. Sherman, also called "Uncle Billy" on the march, had only 2,500 supply wagons and 800 ambulances with him. It was obvious they would be living off the land. The two wings went two different routes, the right one going to Macon and the left one going to Augusta. They came across each other and head toward the then capital, Milledgeville. On November 23, the state capital surrendered knowing that there was no way they could stop Sherman. William occupied the vacant governor's mansion and capital building. The army became quite comfortable on the trek. "Bummers" would do the dirty work and raid people's houses in search for food. But they often stole more things, including silver, pots, pans, gold, and live animals. Because many husbands were at war, the poor women could not fend for themselves. Slaves came along the journey too. Most Union soldiers had never seen a black person before, but they believed slavery was wrong and welcomed the former slaves along. Although, Sherman did not really want blacks to come along on the march. The army was on limited supply and Sherman did not think a black man was above a white one. Most slaves did not care, they were free for the first time and being a part of this march would be the first real thing they had done as a free man. Sherman's army moved through Georgia at ease, most people had already evacuated the state after the Confederate army realized what was happening. The biggest battle occurred at Fort McAllister on December 13. Not many died, but by capturing this fort, Savannah's gates had been opened. Sherman now had Savannah at his fingertips. He went to Hilton Head, South Carolina to make final preparations. Mayor Richard Arnold of Savannah realized that nothing could be done, so he surrendered Savannah on December 22. Sherman wrote Lincoln a telegraph offering 25,000 bales of cotton to the president as a Christmas gift. Sherman's March to the Sea was an act only the bravest man would attempt. The march scared and demoralized folks of Georgia. While Sherman did not burn anything else and not many more actual fights occurred, the state was in a terrible position. The hope for winning the war was gone and the southerners were without husbands, food, slaves, and for some, a place to stay.
Sources
Information:
Campaign - Notes and
March - Notes and
Photos
Railroads -
Sherman - http://cwmemory.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/general-william-tecumseh-sherman.jpg
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Union Blockade of Georgia's Coast
Even at the very beginning of the war, President Abraham Lincoln knew he would have to have some sort of trick up his sleeve that would give the Union more of an advantage. While the north had more resources and nearly twice as many soldiers, the south was going to put everything they had into the next four years. The battle in the seas would play a very key role in deciding the outcome of the Civil War. So Lincoln called for an all-out blockade of the Confederates coastline on April 19, 1861. The plan took about a year to materialize, but by 1862, everything was set up. Fleets were posted on major port cities, preventing barely any of the boats coming and going. In Georgia, the main focus was pointed towards Savannah, Georgia's most prominent port city. Once the south understood the North's plan, Jefferson Davis appointed Robert E. Lee the commander of the naval army. As the leader, Lee realized that it was becoming more and more impossible to protect the whole southern coast. He put large dispatches of troops at major cities and began to focus more on rail lines than the sea. The blockade stretched from Virginia to Florida and was very tough to get past, especially if you had a large boat. But one brave man, Edward C. Anderson, a blockade runner, decided to break through to get supplies into Savannah. On November 11, 1861, he piloted his boat through the blockade and successfully made his way into the city. Although, this escape in might have turned out not to be such a good thing. The Union learned of this and only bumped up its security along the Blockade line. The Confederates of Georgia had to make something to stop the Blockade that was quickly chocking the southerners. They created gunships that they would charge the Union fleet with. Some of the more famous ones, The Atlanta, The Macon, and The Savannah, were going to be used. Also lined up with them, torpedoes developed by Matthew Maury were ready for action. Unfortunately, these innovations did not stand a chance against the Union. Even though the Union had mealy 500 ships and were often thought of as a rag tag group, they were able to capture nearly 1,500 Confederate runner-ships. The Union Blockade was not entirely successful; almost 80 percent of ships were able to get by. Because the rebels were forced to send small ships through, the economy dipped. Cotton exports went down 95 percent, preventing the Confederates to trade or buy food. As a result, inflation went up, prices went up, and the economy sunk. The Union Blockade was not a battle, it barely killed anyone, but it was a major factor in why the Union came out on top.
Sources
Information
http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-3763
Picture
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2011/05/12/opinion/disunion_great_snake/disunion_great_snake-blog427.jpg
Sources
Information
http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-3763
Picture
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2011/05/12/opinion/disunion_great_snake/disunion_great_snake-blog427.jpg
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Gettysburg & Chickamauga
Gettysburg
General Robert E. Lee had just pulled off an incredible victory at Chancellorsville, Virginia, and he wanted to continue to push his army further and further into the Union land. In May 1863, Lee led his army for a second invasion of the North, also referred to as the Gettysburg Campaign. His army was happy and joyful; knowing that with a win on northern soil would brighten the chances of this stalemate war finally moving in the South's favor. Virginia had been ravaged with fighting, so Lee took his troops up to Pennsylvania, where he indented to gather supplies and prepare for battle. General Joseph Hooker, a hard drinker from Massachusetts was the man who was at first going to lead the charge for the Union, but he was relieved of his duties just days before. Major General George Gordon Meade took over, and moved the army from the Potomac northward to keep his troops between Lee and Washington D.C. Once Lee learned of this he stationed his soldiers in Gettysburg. The two powerful armies collided on July 1, 1863. Battle was fierce, men were dying left and right, reinforcements arrived quickly only to jack up the death total. At the end of the first day, 30,000 Confederates ultimately beat out the 20,000 Union troops. On the second day, battle continued, but the Union was able to gain some ground. Assaults from both leaders came from the left and right flank. Fighting took place in Devil's Den, Little Round Top, the Wheatfield, the Peach Orchard and Cemetery Ridge on the Union left while assaults were also being fought on the Union right in Culp's Hill and East Cemetery Hill. On July 3, fighting raged on, particularly on Culp's Hill, where one of the main events took place. Lee called for an all-out assault on the Union's front line. 12,000 Confederates attacked, but many of them were killed. This failure of an assault later became known as Pickett's Charge. It was a huge blow to the Confederates, not only did almost half of the soldiers who charged died, but soldiers lost some trust in Lee to make the right calls in critical times. Lee's army retreated back to Virginia, marking the end of the bloodiest battle of the war, a total of 51,000 casualties were recorded. This blood bath shocked the nation, but sparked great change in the War from the Union perspective.
Chickamauga
Georgia had not been the place where a lot of fighting had taken place. Up until 1863, virtually no battles were fought in Georgia. That was until Chickamauga. After the Tullahoma Campaign, Major General William S. Rosecrans of the Union army, wanted to get the Confederates out of Chattanooga. Rosecrans took his troops, who were scattered across Tennessee and other parts of Georgia, and pushed General Braxton Bragg's army out. General Braxton Bragg's army retreated and Rosecrans followed them up north. But Bragg wanted Chattanooga back. He created an easy plan; meet up with Rosecrans' army defeat them than move back to the city. On the 17th of September, 1863, his army headed north, intending to meet and destroy the XXI Army Corps. On the 18th, he meet the army and his cavalry fought the Union cavalry and mounted infantry. Fighting continued on the 19th, but the Confederates were unable to break the Union line. Bragg kept firing assaults, and a break in the line was created. Rosecrans learned of this, and quickly created a fill in, but James Longstreet's men broke through, driving one-third of the Union army back from the field. Although it seemed as if the Rebels should have won by now, the Union held their ground until the night of September 20, 1863. George H. Thomas, who had taken control of the Union Army, and decided to lead his men away from the battle and retreated back to Chattanooga. The Confederates had won, but it had come at a price, a total of 34,624 casualties had been totaled, with only about 16,000 being Union. It was a moral victory but no major ground had been gained, though some Union soldiers were trapped in Chattanooga. After the battle, the Confederates had sieged the city. William T. Sherman was on his way, and help would soon arrive.
Sources
Information
Gettysburg http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/gettysburg.html?tab=facts
Chickamauga http://americanhistory.about.com/od/civilwarbattles/p/cwbattle_chick.htm
Pictures
Gettysburg http://capitolbadgers.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/gettysburg.jpg
Chickamauga http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/civil-war/1863/october/battle-chickamauga-1500.jpg
Monday, February 18, 2013
Emancipation Proclamation
When Abraham Lincoln was elected president in 1860, he firmly stated that he did not want to abolish slavery, just prevent it from spreading to the new territories the United States was quickly acquiring. Northerners believed that at times Lincoln was too soft on the topic to end slavery, while southerners were in so much derail that nothing the President said or did would calm them down. The Civil War was at a bit of a standstill, while the Union was winning battles left and right, the Confederates showed no signs of giving up. By this point, 1862, thousands, possibly millions of slaves had fled from the plantations in the south, to the comfort of the north. Lincoln had many people telling him that abolishing slavery would be a military strategy used to perfection. On September 22, 1862, just after the bloody Battle of Antietam, Abraham Lincoln proclaimed that as of January 1, 1863, all slaved in rebellious states "shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free." Now news did not travel fast, so most slaves, let alone slave owners, were unaware of the Proclamation. Because the south was its own country in a sense, even though that is an act of treason, not many took this seriously. But once it reached the slaves, emotions and spirits became higher. Slaves now had hope, and the war took a turn, in a positive way for the north. So African American men from all over the country lined up to join the war. Lincoln was unsure about allowing blacks to join, but the Union desperately needed soldiers. On July 17, 1862 the Militia Act was signed, stating that any men of African descent can join the war. While many blacks joined the war, racism still came into play. Some generals believed that blacks were not as skilled or brave; the result of this was that blacks got paid ten dollars a week while whites received thirteen. Congress did pass a bill in 1864 demanding that everybody gets paid the same. In February 1863, Governor John A. Andrew of Massachusetts issued the Civil War's first official call for black soldiers. The response was astronomical, 1,000 men volunteered from all over the country to be a part of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment. This regiment was a bug turning point in the war, African Americans proved that they could do anything the white soldiers could. By the end of the war, 180,000 African Americans joined the war and only 40,000 died.
Sources
Information - Own mind and http://www.history.com/topics/emancipation-proclamation http://www.history.com/topics/african-american-soldiers-in-the-civil-war
Antietam
Antietam, also known as Sharpsburg, as it was called in the south, was fought from September 16 - 18, 1862. In the morning on September 16, George B. McClellan and his Union Army encountered Robert E. Lees' Army near Sharpsburg, Maryland. Joseph Hooker from the Union ordered his troops to attack the Confederates. The assault was brutal and it was the beginning of the single bloodiest day in American War history. Attacks and counterattacks went back and forth, even though the northerners strongly outnumbered the Confederates, under the lead of Stonewall Jackson, held their ground. To really put into perspective how terrible the battle was, listen to Clara Barton's story was. She was a nurse and while she tended to a wounded soldier a bullet went through her sleeve into the man she was treating and it killed him. Barton would later have to ring out her shirt because it was dripping with blood. Now this name may ring a bell. Clara Barton was raised in Massachusetts and had no particular interest in the war. Although, before her father died she told her, you are a good Christian so it is your job to take care of the soldiers. Barton climbed up the ranks as nurse throughout the war and after she founded the American Red Cross. Anyway, later in the day, General Ambrose Burnside gathered his corps and pushed them across Antietam Creek, trying to end the battle once and for all. It looked like Robert E. Lee and his army was in trouble but A.P. Hill and his soldiers arrived, staving off the Unionists. Robert E. Lee was outnumbered two to one, so he committed virtually everything in his arsenal to the Battle of Antietam. McClellan on the other hand did not, sending just one-third of his troops, much to Lincoln's dismay. Looking back on it, McClellan should have easily won this battle. After all, he did outnumber the Confederates two to one and he had a copy of Lee's battle plan. During the night everyone tended to their wounds and prepared for the next day. Lee and McClellan continued to have little debacles until the 18th, even though there were roughly 22,000 casualties on the 16th alone. It was a hard fought battle, and Lincoln claimed victory, he was encouraged to write the Emancipation Proclamation and European powers had decided not to help out the south. But the south had to be happy too, they knew they could stand with the Union and Lee had proven he was a powerful leader. After the battle Lincoln had a tough decision to make. George B. McClellan, a strong Union supporter and leader on the battlefield, had not lived up to his potential. He was timid and cowardly during fights, but demanded so much while not battling. He had done some costly things to the federal cause, so he was let go on November 3, 1862. While he was frustrated, McClellan did understand what had to happen. Although, as the years went on during the war, Lincoln would become very scared of McClellan. George decided to run for president in 1864, and if he had won, the country may look very different now.
Sources
Information http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/antietam.html?tab=facts
Picture of Farm and Dead http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2010/12/02/timestopics/battle-of-antietam/battle-of-antietam-sfSpan.jpg
Picture of Battle http://www.xtimeline.com/__UserPic_Large/9015/ELT200805041620221833119.JPG
Sources
Information http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/antietam.html?tab=facts
Picture of Farm and Dead http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2010/12/02/timestopics/battle-of-antietam/battle-of-antietam-sfSpan.jpg
Picture of Battle http://www.xtimeline.com/__UserPic_Large/9015/ELT200805041620221833119.JPG
Monday, February 11, 2013
Election of 1960/ Secession and Alexander Stephens's role
After the Nebraska-Kansas Act, a new political party was formed. The Republican Party was formed in Ripon, Wisconsin by former members of the Whig Party. The Whig Party was originally formed to oppose the crazy Andrew Jackson, who was the perpetrator of the Trail of Tears. The party had showed it could not keep up with slavery, so the Republican Party was formed. Meetings in the upper Midwestern states happened often, and one which was held on March 20, 1854, is credited with the formation of the Republican Party. The first Republican presidential candidate, John C. Fremont, won 11 of the 16 northern states. Abraham Lincoln ran in 1860, and won. Even though Lincoln only won 40 percent of the votes and some southern states did not even put his name on the ballot, he won. Prior to the election southern states had threatened to leave the Union of Lincoln won. Lincoln was against slavery but did not want to abolish it completely. His main goal was to not let it spread to the western territories the United States was acquiring. Lincoln winning the election was met with glee from the north, but with disgust from the south. Lincoln was forced into an almost impossible situation; he made the best of it, and is now called the greatest president ever.
John C. Calhoun and South Carolina had been the main instigators in the whole plan of seceding, and Georgia always seemed to be hesitant. Many in Georgia believed that it was still to young of a state to leave the Union, and that it needed the support of the north. On January 18, 1861 Georgia seceded from the Union. The vote was close, but on January 2, 1861 the final vote was cast. On January 16 a "Secession Convention", was held. Many did not think that Georgia would secede, but they did, and now attention turned to Virginia.
Alexander Stephens was abandoned by his parents at a young age, and after was bounced around from family members to family members. He was a troubled child, so it is no wonder he never married or had children. He graduated from Franklin College, later University of Georgia, in 1832. Stephens was hesitant about seceding, but eventually he agreed to it, although he was still worried. He was elected Vice President of the Confederates; his job was not easy though. At the beginning of the war, Jefferson Davis and Stephens were considered to be good friends. When military concerns began to become a concern the two fought often. As time went on, Alexander began to spend less time in Richmond and he was no longer needed. In 1863, Stephens talked about surrendering to the North. In 1863 he had a meeting with William Seward and President Lincoln. They talked about ending the war, nothing came of it though. All in all, it was obvious that Alexander Stephens term as Vice President was a failure.
Sources
Election of 1860 Map http://bill.ballpaul.net/iaph/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=630&g2_serialNumber=2
Alexander Stephens http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/Confederat_Cabinet_Photos/Alexander_Stephens.jpg
Election of 1860 http://www.ushistory.org/us/32d.asp http://ngeorgia.com/history/secession.html
Alexander Stephens http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-2492
Dred Scott Case
Dred Scott was born 1799, although it is unclear where what day he was born. Little is known of Scott's early years, but he was born in Virginia. In 1820 his owner, Peter Blow, took him to Missouri and he was later sold to a U.S. Army Surgeon John Emerson. Scott was taken to Fort Armstrong which was a free state. In 1846, after Emerson's death, he was tempted to try and buy his freedom. But Emerson's daughter, Eliza did not allow it. Scott was frustrated; Eliza continued to treat his family as if they were slaves. So Dred took it to court, but the case was dismissed. So he tried again, and the case climbed through the ranks. Finally, it had made it to the Supreme Court, where Chief Justice Roger Taney had a tough decision to make. Taney, who was pro-slavery, came to the decision that because Dred Scott was black he had no right to sue a white man. Anti-slavery settlers were appalled and mad. This case had become the leading cause in the Civil War. Even though Scott would die a year later, his name will be remembered for years to come.
Sources
Dred Scott Picture http://www.learnnc.org/lp/media/uploads/2009/06/dredscott.jpg
Roger Taney Picture http://hd.housedivided.dickinson.edu/files/images/HD_taneyRB1c.jpg
Information
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4h2933.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dred_Scott_v._Sandford
Kansas-Nebraska Act
In January of 1854, Senator Stephen Douglas introduced a bill that would divide the territory of Missouri into two, states called Kansas and Nebraska. This Act was first intended to open up farmland, area for a Transcontinental Railroad, and lots of acres of beautiful plains, but once the discussion of sovereignty came up, tensions grew between the north and south. Southerners who were against slavery were furious because under the Missouri Compromise, Missouri should have been a slave state for good. The Act was finally passed on May 30, 1854. Even though the proposed bill had not passed four previous times, this time it was passed. Stephen Douglas debated much about the Act; Lincoln did not want to spread slavery, while Douglas wanted it to be completely abolished. Opponents of the Act went on to form the Republican Party, and the Union would move closer and closer to the Civil War.
The aftermath of the bill signing was not pretty. Because of the fact Nebraska and Kansas could choose whether or not to allow slavery, many southerners and northerners rushed to the new territories. Many pro-slavery settlers quickly moved into Kansas just to vote in the state. They wanted to be heard, so they formed groups such as the "Blue Lodges". Northerners also came from the east and called themselves the "Jayhawks". Violent actions followed, with many settlers dying. Bleeding Kansas lasted from 1854 to 1858. Sources
Bleeding Kansas Photo http://www.legendsofamerica.com/photos-americanhistory/BleedingKansasFight.jpg
Kansas-Nebraska Act http://www-tc.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/media/uploads/lincolns_shifting_1854.jpg
Information
Bleeding Kansas http://americanhistory.about.com/od/beforethewar/g/bleedingkansas.htm
Kansas-Nebraska Act http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=28
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Nullification/Missouri Compromise/Compromise of 1850/GA Platform
Nullification
An industrious revolution was brewing in the United States. So on May 19, 1828 the United States government passed a tariff act that put a tax on imports. This law was passed to protect the northerners and increase the price of raw materials. This enraged the south, so much so that the act was called the Tariff of Abominations. The southern states were mad because the tax increased the price of goods not made in the United States, and most of their business was based around agriculture. So, the south, led by John C. Calhoun of South Carolina, said that his state would not follow the law. Tensions were incredibly high, and the south believed that they could govern their selves. Because of the tariff, the south economy suffered. Britain stopped buying cotton from the south, and southerners had to start buying supplies from the north, an embarrassing act. Calhoun and then president Andrew Jackson, butted heads and Jackson eventually reduced the harshness of the tariff, in the Tariff Act of 1832. Tariffs are still enforced today and are usually not fought over. Tariffs and taxes may not be all that loved, but they provide structure to the government.
Missouri Compromise
Slavery had divided the country so much that the U.S. had to have an equal number of free and slave states in order to keep balance in the Senate. Every state, no matter what the size has two representatives in Congress. So, when Missouri wanted to become part of the U.S., the government was in a predicament. Well we cannot deny access, but we cannot have unbalance. Missouri had been fairly populated for some time, and already had a number of slaves living there. James Tallmadge of New York proposed an amendment, called the Tallmadge Amendment that would prevent any more slaves from coming into Missouri, and also proclaimed that all children of slave parents born in the state after its admission should be free at the age of 25. This amendment passed the House on February 17, 1819, but not the Senate. This only increased the tension among the north and south. Over a year later, Maine was allowed in, with Missouri falling suit. A second law was passed also. Jesse B. Thomas of Illinois said that any state north of the 3630' line, excluding Missouri, be a free state. This law was also passed, and even if the line seemed like a good plan at first it would only be a short cure to a bigger problem later on.
Compromise of 1850
California had been living the life ever since the discovery of gold in the 1830s. Thousands of risk-takers had left everything behind to get a shot at finding millions. Even though California was more than a thousand miles away from Missouri, the closest state to it, the prosperous young area wanted to be in the Union. I know what you're saying, here we go again, settling a conflict about the 3630' line and equal votes in the Senate, and well you are right. California wanted to be part of the Union, so a new southern state would have to be created. The Compromise of 1850 did just that.
Five Main Points:
1) Texas' present day borders are set in exchange for the U.S. government to pay its debt back to Mexico
2) Texas had thought they had territory that included the present day states of New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah. They did not have the rights to those states, and at one point threatened war on New Mexico. The government stepped in, and New Mexico and Utah were now split into two big territories. This made the south very happy because now they had a big territory close by and they had states in front of them for the future.
3) Slavery was abolished in Washington, D.C.
4) California was admitted as a free state
5) Fugitive Act passed
This law, one that has been controversial even to this day, forced northern citizens help search for runaway slaves. If a slave capture interrogated you, it was your responsibility to answer all questions and reveal the slaves whereabouts. If runaway slaves were got, than they were sent to a jury and it was there that they judge would decide if the slave would be going back to its rightful owner and if the investigation had been conducted properly. Although, the commissioner, or judge had an incentive to send them back home, they got paid more. Lastly, more federal officials were walking around the northern states, searching for runaways. All in all, this was a win for the south that neutralized the conflict for a while, but scared the slaves, who began to flood into Canada.
Georgia Platform
After the Compromise of 1850, tensions were still brewing between the north and the south. Compromise was the only answer to pushing back the war that was bound to happen. Georgia held a special state convention, and made a proclamation that stated as long as the north kept following the Fugitive Slave Act and not ban slavery in the expansion states, than the south would not separate from the Union. In the elections held that November, a vast majority was in favor of the GA Platform. Of the 264 delegates at the five day convention, 240 were Unionists. Only 19 delegates voted against the GA Compromise.
Sources
Missouri Compromise Photo
Tariff Photo
Compromise of 1850
http://www.ushistory.org/us/images/00080486.gif
Notes
Video from Class
Compromise of 1850 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2951.html
Missouri Compromise http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/history/missouri-compromise.html
Tariff of 1828 http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/history/missouri-compromise.html
GA Platform http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-798
An industrious revolution was brewing in the United States. So on May 19, 1828 the United States government passed a tariff act that put a tax on imports. This law was passed to protect the northerners and increase the price of raw materials. This enraged the south, so much so that the act was called the Tariff of Abominations. The southern states were mad because the tax increased the price of goods not made in the United States, and most of their business was based around agriculture. So, the south, led by John C. Calhoun of South Carolina, said that his state would not follow the law. Tensions were incredibly high, and the south believed that they could govern their selves. Because of the tariff, the south economy suffered. Britain stopped buying cotton from the south, and southerners had to start buying supplies from the north, an embarrassing act. Calhoun and then president Andrew Jackson, butted heads and Jackson eventually reduced the harshness of the tariff, in the Tariff Act of 1832. Tariffs are still enforced today and are usually not fought over. Tariffs and taxes may not be all that loved, but they provide structure to the government. Missouri Compromise
Slavery had divided the country so much that the U.S. had to have an equal number of free and slave states in order to keep balance in the Senate. Every state, no matter what the size has two representatives in Congress. So, when Missouri wanted to become part of the U.S., the government was in a predicament. Well we cannot deny access, but we cannot have unbalance. Missouri had been fairly populated for some time, and already had a number of slaves living there. James Tallmadge of New York proposed an amendment, called the Tallmadge Amendment that would prevent any more slaves from coming into Missouri, and also proclaimed that all children of slave parents born in the state after its admission should be free at the age of 25. This amendment passed the House on February 17, 1819, but not the Senate. This only increased the tension among the north and south. Over a year later, Maine was allowed in, with Missouri falling suit. A second law was passed also. Jesse B. Thomas of Illinois said that any state north of the 3630' line, excluding Missouri, be a free state. This law was also passed, and even if the line seemed like a good plan at first it would only be a short cure to a bigger problem later on.Compromise of 1850
California had been living the life ever since the discovery of gold in the 1830s. Thousands of risk-takers had left everything behind to get a shot at finding millions. Even though California was more than a thousand miles away from Missouri, the closest state to it, the prosperous young area wanted to be in the Union. I know what you're saying, here we go again, settling a conflict about the 3630' line and equal votes in the Senate, and well you are right. California wanted to be part of the Union, so a new southern state would have to be created. The Compromise of 1850 did just that.
Five Main Points:
1) Texas' present day borders are set in exchange for the U.S. government to pay its debt back to Mexico
2) Texas had thought they had territory that included the present day states of New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah. They did not have the rights to those states, and at one point threatened war on New Mexico. The government stepped in, and New Mexico and Utah were now split into two big territories. This made the south very happy because now they had a big territory close by and they had states in front of them for the future.
3) Slavery was abolished in Washington, D.C.
4) California was admitted as a free state5) Fugitive Act passed
This law, one that has been controversial even to this day, forced northern citizens help search for runaway slaves. If a slave capture interrogated you, it was your responsibility to answer all questions and reveal the slaves whereabouts. If runaway slaves were got, than they were sent to a jury and it was there that they judge would decide if the slave would be going back to its rightful owner and if the investigation had been conducted properly. Although, the commissioner, or judge had an incentive to send them back home, they got paid more. Lastly, more federal officials were walking around the northern states, searching for runaways. All in all, this was a win for the south that neutralized the conflict for a while, but scared the slaves, who began to flood into Canada.
Georgia Platform
After the Compromise of 1850, tensions were still brewing between the north and the south. Compromise was the only answer to pushing back the war that was bound to happen. Georgia held a special state convention, and made a proclamation that stated as long as the north kept following the Fugitive Slave Act and not ban slavery in the expansion states, than the south would not separate from the Union. In the elections held that November, a vast majority was in favor of the GA Platform. Of the 264 delegates at the five day convention, 240 were Unionists. Only 19 delegates voted against the GA Compromise.
Sources
Missouri Compromise Photo
Tariff Photo
Compromise of 1850
Notes
Video from Class
Compromise of 1850 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2951.html
Missouri Compromise http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/history/missouri-compromise.html
Tariff of 1828 http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/history/missouri-compromise.html
GA Platform http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-798
Slavery as a Cause & States Rights
States' Rights
As tensions grew between the north and south over slavery, politics and government began to become an issue. The balance of powers was first addressed in a 1819 Supreme Court case, McCulloch vs. Maryland. Chief Justice John Marshall can to the conclusion that the federal government had more power and authority than the states. Before the Civil War, the south believed that they should be able to allow slavery and that they should not have to follow the tariff act of 1828. While the northerners believed they should be able protect them from the Fugitive Act. This only further separated the states, dividing the north and south more and more each day.
Slavery
Slavery goes back as far as Ancient Rome. Slavery was needed, and considered normal by most people living during the time. This practice was needed to build buildings and keep the city up and running. While it is likely the severe punishment that we think of when slavery comes up was not common, it is told that everyone living in Athens, Greece owned at least one slave. Fast forward hundreds of years to the beginnings of the Triangular Slave Trade, when slaves would come to America, tobacco would go to England, and European supplies were shipped to Africa. After Columbus first sailed the ocean blue, new colonists experimented with Native Americans as slaves, but when that failed, they looked further and ended up taking slaves to Africa. Slavery first started in Jamestown, and stayed in the south. It became a part of everyday life, a ritual, almost a religion. Quakers who lived up north did not believe in slavery and the northerners were focused on industry and not farming which required great labor. The south showed great resentment towards the north, and tensions were growing. Slavery was a big cause of the Civil War, in many different shapes and forms. The south thought that the states should hold most of the power, was a contributor because the south probably had the plan to legalize slavery. Both sides had so many differing opinions about the approach to slavery that war was the only possible way to settle the conflict. Slavery today to me is basically what are government is like. Republicans and democrats go at it every day, arguing over how to solve the economic meltdown and debt.
Information
Slavery as a Cause http://bessel.org/slavecw.htm
States' Rights http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/States'_rights
As tensions grew between the north and south over slavery, politics and government began to become an issue. The balance of powers was first addressed in a 1819 Supreme Court case, McCulloch vs. Maryland. Chief Justice John Marshall can to the conclusion that the federal government had more power and authority than the states. Before the Civil War, the south believed that they should be able to allow slavery and that they should not have to follow the tariff act of 1828. While the northerners believed they should be able protect them from the Fugitive Act. This only further separated the states, dividing the north and south more and more each day.
Slavery
Slavery goes back as far as Ancient Rome. Slavery was needed, and considered normal by most people living during the time. This practice was needed to build buildings and keep the city up and running. While it is likely the severe punishment that we think of when slavery comes up was not common, it is told that everyone living in Athens, Greece owned at least one slave. Fast forward hundreds of years to the beginnings of the Triangular Slave Trade, when slaves would come to America, tobacco would go to England, and European supplies were shipped to Africa. After Columbus first sailed the ocean blue, new colonists experimented with Native Americans as slaves, but when that failed, they looked further and ended up taking slaves to Africa. Slavery first started in Jamestown, and stayed in the south. It became a part of everyday life, a ritual, almost a religion. Quakers who lived up north did not believe in slavery and the northerners were focused on industry and not farming which required great labor. The south showed great resentment towards the north, and tensions were growing. Slavery was a big cause of the Civil War, in many different shapes and forms. The south thought that the states should hold most of the power, was a contributor because the south probably had the plan to legalize slavery. Both sides had so many differing opinions about the approach to slavery that war was the only possible way to settle the conflict. Slavery today to me is basically what are government is like. Republicans and democrats go at it every day, arguing over how to solve the economic meltdown and debt.
Sources
Photos
Civil War Map http://www.contourcorsets.com/daily/1864_Civil_War.png
Civil War Battle http://mohistorical.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/civil-war-battle.jpg
Information
Slavery as a Cause http://bessel.org/slavecw.htm
States' Rights http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/States'_rights
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