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Y216: The USA in the 19th Century: Westward Expansion and Civil War 1803–c.1890

The Civil War: reasons for Union victory and naval blockade, international situation

  • 3 things to know
  • Unit group 2

Overview

Recall questions on reasons for Union victory including effectiveness of McClellan, Grant and Lee as military commanders, strategies, the significance of major campaigns and battles including Antietam, naval blockade, international situation.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Evaluation

What was the significance of Shiloh?

Numbers

How did the international situation affect the war?

Key term

Describe the strategy adopted by each side.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    Describe the strategy adopted by each side.

    Model answer

    The Union pursued Scott's Anaconda plan of blockade, control of the Mississippi and pressure on all fronts, while the Confederacy sought to defend its territory and win recognition, sometimes taking the offensive to break northern will.

  2. 2

    How effective was the naval blockade?

    Model answer

    It never stopped fast runners entirely, but it cut the volume of southern trade drastically, collapsed cotton exports and denied the Confederacy the machinery, medicines and munitions it could not make for itself.

  3. 3

    How did McClellan and Grant differ as commanders?

    Model answer

    McClellan trained and organised the Army of the Potomac superbly but consistently overestimated his enemy and would not press an advantage, while Grant accepted casualties, kept up continuous pressure and understood that the object was the destruction of enemy armies.

  4. 4

    Assess Lee's strengths and limitations as a commander.

    Model answer

    He was daring, quick to read an opponent and inspired great devotion, but his costly offensives in Maryland and Pennsylvania spent men the South could not replace, and his focus on Virginia left the western theatre neglected.

  5. 5

    What was the significance of Shiloh?

    Model answer

    The surprise Confederate attack in Tennessee in 1862 was fought off at a cost of over twenty thousand casualties, which ended any illusion of a short war and confirmed the Union advance down the Mississippi valley.

  6. 6

    Why did Antietam matter?

    Model answer

    It halted Lee's first invasion of the North in the bloodiest single day of the war, gave Lincoln the victory he needed to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, and discouraged Britain and France from recognising the Confederacy.

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