History of the United States (1849-1865)

The history of the United States (1849-1865) is dominated by the slave question. A long series of compromises between the North and the slave-owning Southern States runs out on war .This civil war would be the bloodiest war in American history.



Content
[hide] *1 Ante-bellum period  ==Ante-bellum period[ Edit] == Map of the United States with the Confederate States in the Union States in red, blue and slave states that remained in the Union wedding light blueIn the years after the war with Mexico expanded the population of the US is slowly but surely to the West. The Gadsdenaankoop, the border with Mexico and treaties with Great Britain completed the boundary with the British colonies in Canada later fixed. The United States were now a continental power that drew more and more people from overseas who were looking for a better life. ===Development of the West[ Edit] === The West of the United States in the years before the civil war was still at an early stage of development. The Oregon Trail, where later would make use of thousands of pioneers, was first traveled. The gold rush in California attracted many fortune-hunters to San Francisco where they would be known as the 49ers to the year of the gold find,1849. Ten years later became one of the richest silver veins discovered in Nevada, called the Comstock Lode.
 * 1.1 development of the West
 * 1.2 Slavery
 * 1.2.1 anti-slavery movement
 * 1.2.2 slavery in the territories
 * leading up to world war 2
 * 2.1 Dred Scott
 * 2.2 Political rise of Lincoln
 * 2.3 election of 1860
 * 2.4 shelling of Fort Sumter
 * 3 Brother against Brother
 * 3.1 Bull Run to Gettysburg
 * 3.2 the end is near
 * 4 Union victory
 * 4.1 surrender and Lincolns death
 * 5 Reconstruction
 * 6 see also
 * 7 external links

Inflation which was the result of the supply of large quantities of gold and silver from the Western States and territories was a debit to the panic of 1857, a sudden economic downturn in which some 5,000 companies went bankrupt in one year. Treatment of a slave by his overseer. Photo from 1863.===Slavery[ Edit] === In the period between the end of the war with Mexico and the beginning of the 1860s, there was growing discord between the rapidly industrialising North and the more agricultural South. The economy of the South was based on the manpower of the black slave, that of the North on the worker. A series of compromises that in the compromise of 1850 get their final piece turn an uncontrollable conflict off. With the death of national leaders such as Henry Clay and Daniel Webster in 1852 loses important stabilising the country figures. The election of Presidents as Franklin Pierce in 1852 and James Buchanan in 1856 does little to the unity between "North" and "South" to keep it. ====Anti-slavery movement<span class="mw-editsection" len="378" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] ==== <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In the U.s. Senate, there was a delicate balance between the slave-owning States and the "free" States. As more territories in the West colonized were threatened this balance to hit.So wanted Northern farmers on the prairies and in the former Mexican territories established, no competition by slave labor. There was also a lot of moral opposition over slavery, also known as the peculiar institution called. Many thought it was a disgrace to the illuminated American ideals of freedom and equality.

Frederick Douglas<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">A growing movement of struggle against slavery, abolitionists also carried out in the States South of the Mason-Dixon line. Clandestine organizations existed (the underground railroad) that helped black slaves escape to the North and to Canada. Known, for example, was a radical abolitionist John Brown, who in 1859 led a group of men in an attack on a federal armory in Harper's Ferry, Virginia with the aim to start an armed slave rebellion. Also there were many moderate activists such as Frederick Douglass who both before and after the civil war fought for equal civil rights for everyone and played an important role in the abolition of slavery. ====Slavery in the territories<span class="mw-editsection" len="381" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] ==== Plantation House in Louisiana<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Territories were basically free from slavery by the legislation as a result of the Compromise of 1850. In 1854, however, by the United States Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act broke down in the territory of that name what became the States of Kansas and Nebraskawould be with the stipulation established that the inhabitants of the two Territories themselves should determine what would be the status of slavery. This resulted in bloody battles, particularly in Kansas (Bleedin' Kansas) and an influx of both pro-and anti-slavery activists in both areas. Would eventually in Kansas two constitutional meetings, submit a Constitution approved by the people, to the Congress with the request for admission to the Union, one by the pro-slavery groups and one by his opponents.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Senate approved the pro-slavery Kansas Constitution initially good but the House of representatives refused to admit Kansas as a slave State. In the end, Kansas in 1861 as free State admitted to the Union. However, the Democratic Party was deeply divided over the slave question and the battle for Kansas gave the offense for the formation of the Republican party. ==Leading up to war<span class="mw-editsection" len="374" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == Abraham Lincoln, winner of the presidential election of 1860<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Republican party, opposed to slavery, was returned shortly before the elections of 1856 established. The first presidential candidate for the party, John c. Frémont, lost to the Democratic nominee James Buchanan. Buchanan, however, although he personally disapproved of slavery was of the opinion that it is not in his power to do anything about the practice since it was established in the Constitution. His weak policies would also speed up the start of war. ===Dred Scott<span class="mw-editsection" len="365" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === Dredd Scott<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In 1857, the slavery issue to a new turning point. The slave Dred Scott from the State of Missouri filed a lawsuit because he felt that after the death of its owner, who stayed in the free North with Scott long, was a free man. Scott got initially equal but decided against him and eventually in appeal was served the case for the American Supreme Court in Washington DC. That courts determined that Scott was not a free man but that he still owned by the descendants of his deceased owner. In addition, certain the Court held that the ban on slavery in the territories was unconstitutional.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Although some felt that the slavery issue would come to be on the back burner for the time being had the judgment of the Court in the Dredd Scott case the opposite effect. In the North there was fierce opposition to the ruling and the Republican Party increased in popularity. ===Political emergence of Lincoln<span class="mw-editsection" len="384" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The elections for the Senate in 1858 was mainly dominated by the race in Illinois where Stephen a. Douglas up against the relatively unknown Republican Abraham Lincoln. Although Senators still not directly by the people but by the people's representation of the States were chosen both campaign carried out in the State, highlighted by a series of 7 debates. Douglas was in favour of the situation regarding slavery as it was while Lincoln was resolutely against slavery.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Douglas would win the elections but both politicians were given the general debates were praised nationwide for their contents. Lincoln was popular among Republican voters and the experience he gained in the Senate race would give him 2 years later come in handy when the presidential election of 1860. ===Election of 1860<span class="mw-editsection" len="376" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Democratic Party had both following in the North and South of the United States but the two camps within the party would be more and more from each other afloat. The hopelessly divided Party moved at theelection of 1860 therefore also more candidates forward. Stephen Douglas, the senator who had defeated Lincoln in 1858 was candidate for the Northern Democrats while the southern wing of the party nominated John c. Breckenridge . In some States on the border between North and South, there was a third party, the Constitutional Union Party nominated John c. Bell as a candidate. The Republicans nominated Abraham Lincoln and as expected most candidates carried out regional campaigns.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In the southern States during the campaign was openly talked about secession if Lincoln would be elected. South Carolina was in particular for tractor. After the democratic fragmentation and a growing opposition against slavery in the North had assured the Republicans of the State called the electoral profit shall convene a Convention on 20 december 1860 stated that the Union between South Carolina and the other States under the name "the United States of America" has now been broken. For the inauguration of Lincoln in March 1861 6 other States would separate from the Union, namely:

===Bombardment of Fort Sumter<span class="mw-editsection" len="383" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">After the inauguration of president Abraham Lincoln ran the tensions further on. the separate States formed in Montgomery, Alabama the Confederate States of America, based on a Constitution that strongly resembled that of the United States but with more emphasis on the rights of the individual States. As president Jefferson Davis was chosen.
 * Mississippi
 * Florida
 * Alabama
 * Georgia
 * Louisiana
 * Texas.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">At several places names the southern States weapons sites and forts of the Federal Government over, often without too much resistance. A fort in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina, Fort Sumter, however, remained in Federal hands despite attempts by the Confederate States Army to occupy. To requirements of the State to the Government in Washington to the fort was refusing to give up.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Lincoln gave orders to supply the fort and he commented about this in South Carolina to prevent a arms. South Carolina, however, again demanded the surrender of the fort. The Commander of Fort Sumter, Robert Anderson, persisted and refused after which, on 12 april 1861 a coastal battery opened fire on the fort. Although there were no injuries during the take was the civil war officially started. After a short barrage Anderson gave himself over to p.g.t. Beauregard, Commander of the Confederate troops in Charlston. ==Brother against Brother<span class="mw-editsection" len="377" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == General Ulysses S. Grant<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">See also main article American civil war After the battle of Fort Sumter did Lincoln called for volunteers to recruit for the army and he called on all States to help to suppress the rebellion in the South. As a result, divorced four more States, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina and Tennessee from the Union.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The 4 year war dragged on and would prove the bloodiest from American history. In the first half of the war seemed to have the Confederate blockade runners the advantage in part by a superior command of the army. The Navy of the Union States impose a blockade to the coast of the Confederacy to those dribs and drabs is bypassed. The first major clash between Submarines in the history of modern warfare takes place in 1862 between the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia. ===Bull Run to Gettysburg<span class="mw-editsection" len="379" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === President Lincoln consults with General McClellan after the battle of Antietam<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The first major battle took place near Bull Run and resulted in a victory for the Confederates. General George McClellan was appointed as Commander-in-Chief of the Army of the Potomac, the main force of the army in the eastern region. On the other hand, the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia under Robert e. Lee 's was. Lee was against slavery and against the secession of his home state of Virginia of the Union and he was offered the high command on the Northern armies. However, Lee could not bring themselves to take up arms against his own State and instead he took command of the Confederate armies in itself.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Where Lee would prove a brilliant commander General McClellan fell through the basket. His way of action brought him repeatedly in conflict with president Lincoln who blamed him too cautious action. After he ignored orders in early 1862, he was deprived of a part of its authority, after which he was commissioned to advance to the southern capital, Richmond, Virginia. Meanwhile received general Ulysses s. Grantduring the battle of Shiloh a difficult victory for the Union.

Fallen soldiers (battle of Antietam)<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">McClellan had little success against the army led by Lee and ran a series of battles on southern victories from. In september 1862 Maryland Lee fell inside, the first time that there are large scale was fought in one of the Northern States. McClellan's army and that of Lee met on september 17 near Sharpsburg where the battle of Antietam was fought. It would be the bloodiest day of the war and more than 2700 Northern and southern soldiers died 2108. Although the battle was a tactical victory ended undecided for McClellan and Lee retired to Virginia.However, McClellan failed to put the army in pursuit on read and an opportunity to decide the war slipped so early from the hands of the Union.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The victory at Antietam gave Lincoln, however, an excellent opportunity to declare his Emancipation Proclamation, something he wanted to do so that it is not decided after a victory would be seen as a desperate act. This proclamation freed all slaves from those areas that were still in rebellion against the Union and gave impetus to the total abolition of slavery after the war.

<p lang="en" len="338" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">McClellan was replaced some time later, and a series of commanders led the Army of the Potomac, until finally general George Meade got the lead. ===The end is near<span class="mw-editsection" len="371" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === Battle of Gettysburg<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">General Grant successes in the Western battleground that could not initially be achieved in the East. In the spring and summer of 1863 he obtained some victories in Mississippi and eventually he took on 3 July in Vicksburg, Mississippi. A short time later came the entire Mississippi River was in the hands of the Union and the Confederacy in fact divided into two.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">On the same day that Vicksburg fell also the decision was taken at the battle of Gettysburg. Lee had once again committed an invasion by the Union and was advanced to inPennsylvania. General Meade's army came more or less by accident in touch with Lee's army near Gettysburg and the largest battle of the war took place from July 1 to 3 July 1863 and ended in a clear victory for Meade. Lee could once again narrowly escape and pulled themselves back in Virginia. Meade's victory was celebrated in the North but Lee once again avoided by changes in the leadership of Lincoln claimed the army and u. s. Grant was given the Supreme command of all Union armies in itself. ==Union victory<span class="mw-editsection" len="379" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == The text of the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">On 19 november 1864 near Gettysburg inaugurated a national cemetery where fallen soldiers their final resting place would get. Lincoln held on this occasion a short speech, the Gettysburg Address, which became famous for its elegant style and concise content. In less than two minutes summed together for which the war was waged and Lincoln he mentioned the importance of the sacrifices that were made for the survival of the young Republic.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">After the battle of Gettysburg and Ulysses s. Grant 's appointment as Commander-in-Chief of the army slowly began to turn the tide. Grant itself joined the Army of the Potomac, and he gave command of the Western battleground to General William t. Sherman. Sherman pulled from Tennessee towards Atlanta in the State of Georgia and he took the city in on november 15, 1864. After this, he began his famous March to the Sea, a trip through Georgia that ended with the capture of the city of Savannah ondecember 22, 1864. Sherman's troops had the task to destroy everything in their path and the campaign is considered an early example of total war. Although Sherman's March especially in the South of the US controversial, precipitated a virtual collapse in this though the end of the war. Sherman detested war and its idea was to as quickly as possible to force the enemy to its knees and thus make the war as short as possible. After the capture of Savannah pulled Sherman northwards to join Grant to connect.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">At the same time, the Grants to Lee's Army towards Richmond, Virginia strategy to force and eventually to take the Confederate capital. Grant pinned Read troops hang atsiege of Petersburg and took away his opponents the ability to quickly maneuver, something that was essential for Read numerically smaller force. Lee tried to escape from Petersburg to North Carolina, but he was surrounded by the Northern armies. On 9 april 1865 Lee gave themselves over to Grant at Appomattox Court House. The surrender was signed in the home of Wilmer McLean that by Grant was advanced as his headquarters. Ironically, it was also already advanced by the McLeans former home, Confederate General Beauregard, during the first battle of Bull Run. It is said that the civil war started in McLeans front yard and ended in his living room. ===Surrender and Lincolns death<span class="mw-editsection" len="381" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === The assassination of Abraham Lincoln, engraving<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Read surrender meant the effective end of the war, although there are still skirmishes for weeks would take place between northern and southern troops. Five days after the surrender of Lee attended a theatre performance at president Lincoln in the Ford's Theater in Washington. During the show, Lincoln was shot in his head from behind by the actor and Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth. Lincoln was transferred to a house across the street opposite the theatre where he was 9 hours later, on april 15, would come to death. The assassination brought about mourning in the u.s., where many saw Lincoln as the Savior of the Union. Booth was also shot dead a short time later during his escape attempt. ==Reconstruction<span class="mw-editsection" len="370" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">It was above all the economic dominance of the industrialized North which prevailed for the Union victory. The North had a larger population, better infrastructure and more economic power that the agrarian South, factors which, according to many historians the outcome of the war in favor of the Union made inevitable. The war caused a deep North-South divide that only slowly in the course of the 20th century poem was. The southern States were militarily occupied by the army and followed a period ofReconstruction. Lincolns original plans consisted of a measured approach by the defeated South and also Andrew Johnson became president after Lincolns death was in favour of this. The Reconstrucion would take to1877 after which the troops were finally withdrawn and the southern States their old regained status as a full member of the Union.