Episode 4 Simply Murder Friday, Feb 26 2010

Simply Murder

1. Why did the North have to resort to conscription in 1863?

The North who was starting to run low on willing troops need a resource to get more troops. Conscription is the government having the power to be able to serve in the army from the age of 20 to 45. Conscription is meant to get any kind of man power that the trustworthy nation has. Though this act was very controversial because you could buy your way out of being drafted it was the only way to get more men.

 2. Do you believe the government should have the power of conscription?

Yes, if a war was out of hand and men were being lost we should have a last resort that can be a controversial but a necessary resource. If our force was running out of men and we could use any kind of man power we can get to try to win the war I think conscription should not be an early decision but a last resort. I think the government should not be able to use the power of conscription to bring all enabled bodies to war if it is not a time of desperation in man power. To me this if used will be controversial to many so should not be used if we need more soldiers.

 3. At what point can the state impose on your liberty in order to defend the nation?

When the willing and trained are depleted and the lack of numbers of soldiers can be deadly to the outcome of the war you need to forget your liberty and give up your liberty for the survival of your nation. Usually when you have to draft it means the outcome of the war is not slanted and the number of men could determine. There is power in the number and strength in the sides men.

4. What was the cause of the Richmond bread riots?

The Richmond bread riot was started from the food shortage caused by soldiers who stayed in loyalist homes who they forced out. The soldiers took refuge in homes causing local controversy and starting a food shortage from the soldiers eating their food. The troops also took many farmers and civilians crops and food.

5. Why was the South so harshly affected by inflation?

The reason inflation occurred in the South was because of partly they created counterfeit money and that harshly affected their economy. Also the South got resources from the north which at that time would not supply them. They had lots of their money invested in the war, slavery and land. So in many cases they were in a major inflation.

6. When did the Confederates begin using their own currency?

The confederate states started using their own currency in April 1861 2 months after the Confederacy began. The currency was created in a paper bill form and there were characters like mythical gods, heroic heroes, and slaves on the money.

 7. Who were the “Copperheads?

The Copperheads were a group of Northern Democrats who opposed the American Civil War, they wanted a immediate peace treaty with the Confederates. The leader of the Copperheads, who was the most famous, was Clement L. Vallandigham. The Copperheads did not like emancipation of the American slaves; they tried to get Union soldiers to help Confederate prisoners of war escape. Their name was given to them by Republicans. They did not want a full war and did not want the south to be destroyed and the Union restored. They tried to get the two to a peace agreement.

8. What ideals did they stand for?

They stood for peace and a peace agreement between North and the South. They didn’t think it right that the Union be restored and the South be destroyed. They were against the Civil War totally but didn’t want only the North or the South they believed peace reachable between the two. They were Democrats and were against Abraham Lincoln and his administration who was a Republican.

 9. How can a country in the midst of a civil war allow for freedom of expression?

Though the country is fighting against it self and there is many lives being lost their still should be freedom of speech. They can boycott have petitions and give public speeches. Though some are busy on the war they have many ways to get their opinion out. You can gie flyers but you have to be preaching to the right quire at the right time publicly so you can get you ideas through.

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Episode 3 Forever Free Friday, Feb 19 2010

Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant are known as the two great generals of the Civil War. 1. What traits did they exhibit?

Robert E. Lee

Robert lee was a fighter and very observant Lee persistently attacked McClellan’s army and became victorious. Lee used surprise and an ability to read the opponents mind as an advantage over the enemy. Lee commanded with fairness, and courage. Lee was a tough leader who was a strategist and overall one of the best leaders in the war. Even when the south lost he didn’t swear or get angry he was noble and that was one of his best qualities.

Ulysses S. Grant

Was a quiet small fellow just out killed and out dueled his opponents. Eventually became President of United States. Was general Lincoln was looking for. Grant was hard to intimidate and scare he was tough and soft spoken. He constantly attacked his enemy he did not quit and did not conserve men.

2. What personality traits make a good leader?

I think that good leaders need courage, war strategy, confidence, and the ability to lead an army. People like Robert Lee had good strategy a way to lead his men with confidence. You need to find ways to kill more and have less of your men killed from hiding finding cover, location, and just out gunning.

3. What factors it difficult for Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation even though he was personally against slavery?

Abraham Lincoln didn’t want to disrupt and even more anger the southern states with the attempt to outlaw slavery. He did not want to side with the north and in a way depart the south. Doing that would have even more started a conflict with the south. Even though he disliked slavery he would rather at the time he would rather not disrupt the north and south even more. His promises of that the war and everything could end with both sides happy did not come true and creating the Emancipation Proclamation would disrupt the nation more.

4. Did he fear that freeing the slaves would mean the dissolution of the union?

Yes he believed that with the end of slavery in the south could mean the dissolution of the nation and to an even bigger seperation in the south. With the slave revolution in the south and their anger with the election of Abraham Lincoln making a controversial move that is based on the whole war would create even more of an issue between the south rebellion and the north union.

 

5. Who were the abolitionists?

Some northerners were known as the abolitionists who were against slavery. They would rather break the law than return the escapee slaves back to their owners when the southerners created the Fugitive Slave Law. The abolitionists were known for their strong hatred of slavery. Tough some white northerners were against their northern abolitionists and thought they were just stirring up trouble. The northern abolitionists wanted to totally eliminate slavery and wrote hate letters to slave owners. People like Harriet Tubman, Fredrick Douglass, Harriet Beecher Stowe and William Garrison were all key abolitionists during that time.

 

 

 6. Where and when did the movement begin?

The first Emancipation Proclamation began on September 22, 1862 and was meant to free slaves in all the states in America. It was signed by Abraham Lincoln and was signed in America.

7. How has this week’s episode helped you to understand the Civil War better?

I learned this week on the movies that during the civil War the generals of their units were a key part in the success of their territory. In other words the generals had to display their war skills and tactics to out duel their opponents. Great and clever generals like Robert Lee could out smart and out gun their men even if outnumbered. The generals had responsibility of many many men and if one side had great and numerous generals and could easily out dueled their foe the war would have been lopsided.

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Episode Two: A Very Bloody Affair Wednesday, Feb 10 2010

 

 

Research the major battles that occurred during the first part of 1862.

1. 1.    What were they?

Some major battles in 1862 were the Battle of Shiloh, the battle of, the battle of the Monitor vs. Virginia, the battle of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson, the battle of New Orleans, and the battle of Pea Ridge, and the battle of Roanoke Islands, were most the major battles in 1862.

1. 2.    Why were they so significant?

The battle at Shiloh was one of the first major wars in the Civil War it was also one of the bloodiest. The confederacy tried to launch a surprise attack on the Union but the North came out victorious though many men died on both sides. Also the Monitor vs Virginia were the start of the major ship battles on water that started the advancements in technology in ships. This battle started both sides putting metal on the outside on the ships creating a much more powerful and defensive ship. Other than the advancements of the war their was many other battles that had a huge effect in the Civil War. Battles like Roanoke Island was a big battle in the war with a Union victory opening up the North Carolina coast to the Union.

3. Why is the Civil War often considered being the first modern war?  

The Civil War was considered the first modern war from the increase of weapon and battle technology. It had advancements in ships, guns, and strategies to increase their modern war tactics. This also led to battles on water, new kinds of weapons, vehicles and more. Their war strategies got better as well as ways to communicate, more medicine strategies, and advanced technology is what made this war modern.

Research the technology of war at the time — weapons, ships, transportation and medical practice.

4. Why were the casualties of the war so terribly high?

Weapons and ships were majorly updated, exported and advanced for the Civil War. There was many updates and increases in both ships and there weapons. They made both more and advanced weapons. They made them more deadly and more durable to defeat their enemy. Other than weapon advancements they had more and better battle strategies. Along with their weapon advancements and better battle strategies both sides totally had the power to wipe the other out and to kill many on each side. All this hatred along with power in the Civil War brought many casualties.

Consider the quote from Frederick Douglass, “Any attempt now to separate the freedom of the slave from the victory of Government; any attempt to secure peace to the whites while leaving the blacks in chains will be labor lost.” 5. Discuss the meaning of the quotation.

Fredrick Douglass was urging the people of the north that his was a war for slavery. He was trying to persuade that equal rights for slaves were right and should become law. He wanted the people of the war to become aware that slavery is wrong and that they know this situation. If the north wins the war slavery should be abolished. Fredrick Douglass was trying to speak out for the push for equal rights for slaves.

6. Could the war have ended without the freeing of the slaves?

Yes, though the only possible way that slavery could have continued normally is if the south won the Civil War. If that would have happened it would have increased slavery in the south and the north would, and even possibly up to today we could have slavery in the United States. Though if the north won, which they did, slavery would be largely decreased or banned completely.

7. How has this week’s episode helped you to understand the Civil War?

I have found out from this week’s Civil War that this war was a war against and for slavery. I also found out that this war was the beginning of Amercias war technology and advancements. This war had many different kinds of battles that have influenced the U.S in many ways. This week to me mainly told me about the hardships and advancements that the U.S went through against each other. Battles like Shiloh and the Monitor vs. Virginia were only a few wars that largely influenced the outcome of the war.

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Episode One:The Cause Friday, Feb 5 2010

Episode One The Cause

 

1. Consider the events leading, directly or indirectly, to the Civil War.

2. Was slavery the main issue for the war’s beginning?
Yes, the north was slowly starting to believe that slavery was wrong and should be limited, leading to the south rebelling and saying that the north was trying to ban slavery all together and made the confederacy.

3. What were other contributing factors?

One factor that lead up to the civil war was the cotton production a man named Eli Whitney created a machine that separated the seeds for cotton which led the south to largely rely on cotton meaning more slaves. It then started that the south was based on a one crop economy and needed more slaves while the north was based on more industry and agriculture. Also the separation between Federal rights and state rights was a major issue between the north and south.. Also the northerner’s abolition movements were growing from things like Jon Browns attack and the fugitive slave act. While the south wanted more slaves and the north were beginning to see slavery as wrong.

4. If slavery began in this country in 1619, why did it take 200 years for it to become such a divisive issue?

In earlier times there were still people who thought slavery wrong but many people did not have the willingness to stand up and create a movement against slavery. When people like Abraham Lincoln and Harriet Tubman steeped up and rebelled against slavery expansion and that slavery was wrong. Until the 1800s there were no leaders and no anti slavery movements that started the end of slavery.

 

5. What specific events helped to make slavery an issue of public debate?
People were starting to rebel and escape slavery leading to anti slavery movements and important factors like Uncle Toms Cabin, people like Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railroad, and a giant leader was Abraham Lincoln who wanted to limit slavery though not to stop it. Leading up to the south’s rebellion and eventually to the Civil War. 

 

6. Why did white people in the South believe that their liberty required the continuation of slavery?

They truly thought that the African’s greatest potential in existence was to serve and work for the white man. They compared Africans to animals and thought it was ridiculous if either one could have freedom to work and live a similar life as them.
7. Do your students agree or disagree with Lincoln’s idea that in a constitutional democracy no section of the nation is free to break away–that to attempt to leave is rebellion.

I agree with President Abraham Lincoln because in that state of country to leave and attack fellow states in a way is treason and to do it to keep slaves is wrong.. To create your own government and go against your original government is wrong. Also saying states would unite and not go independently keeps the country united. (Hint, United States of America)

 

 

1. 8.     Why did the spirit of compromise which had helped the nation avoid civil war in earlier crises totally break down by 1860?

The south finally figured that they had enough power if they wanted to rebel against the north. This started by when the country elected Abraham Lincoln the south thought that was the begging of the end or major limitation of slavery. Since the south was starting to rely more on slaves the rebelled saying it was right to keep slaves.

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