The American Civil War (C1)

1. The United States achieved vast territorial expansion through purchase, negotiation, and conquest.
2. The controversial question was whether new territories should become free or slave states.
3. The North’s economy was booming and industrializing, while the South relied heavily on slavery and agriculture.
4. The Missouri Compromise attempted to address the status of slavery in new territories and included controversial provisions like the Fugitive Slave Law.
5. Abraham Lincoln was elected as the first Republican president in 1860, leading to the secession of seven slave states and the formation of the Confederacy.
6. The Civil War began when South Carolina attacked Fort Sumter in April 1861.
7. The Battle of Antietam, which occurred on September 17, 1862, is noted as the bloodiest day in U.S. military history.
8. The Emancipation Proclamation abolished slavery in the Confederate states and reframed the war’s purpose to include the fight against slavery.
9. The Battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg, both occurring in July 1863, marked a turning point in the Civil War, resulting in significant Union victories.
10. The 13th Amendment was passed by Congress, abolishing slavery and involuntary servitude in the United States.