Civil War Web Quest

Click on the link below to access the website and answer the following questions:
http://americanhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/exhibition/flash.html

Answer the following questions in complete sentences:

Section 1 – John Brown

1. What was John Brown’s goal?

To cause a rebellion and uprising.

2. Describe the Sharp’s rifle.

John Brown’s Sharp Rifle was tailor made for him, as a slender, long and elegant sharp sporting percussion rifle with a 44
caliber. Brown instructed the maker to forge pikes into it in name of slaves he was planning to free.

3. Which type of revolver did John Brown send 2,000 of to the Kansas Territory?

Brown sent nearly 2000 of the Massachusetts Arms Belt Revolver to Kansas Territory in an attempt in incite an uprising.

4. What was a “slave collar” and what was it used for?

Slave collars were iron collars which would be placed around a slaves neck to identify them as at risk for
disobedience, rebellion and running away.

Section 2 – The Civil War Begins

1. What percent of the popular vote did Lincoln win?

Lincoln won the popular vote by 55%.

2. What oath did Lincoln claim in his inaugural address?

Lincoln claimed that his oath was the preserve, protect and defend the USA. In other words he would save it from civil
war.

3. What did Jefferson Davis have over Lincoln? (Background)

Jefferson Davis had military and overall political experience. Lincoln was a new candidate and as such, had a smaller
chance of being elected or recognized as an effective leader.

4. What did the 1864 Campaign Ribbon say on it? (Scroll down for image)

The 1864 Campaign Ribbon says on it “Pequea President and Martic Delegation for President Abraham Lincoln”

5. What famous American was on the Great Seal of the Confederacy? (Scroll down for image)

George Washington was on the Great Seal of the Confederacy.

Section 3 – Battle of Bull Run
1. Summarize the opening paragraph of this section.

The Battle of Bull Run was the first battle of the Civil War. Previously, the expectation of an easy victory for the North
had relaxed soldiers but this bloody battle ensured that the Confederate Army would not go down without a fight.

2. What was the first flag of the confederacy known as? What did it look like?

The first flag of the confederacy was known as Stars & Bars. It resembled an American Flag, only it had 3 stripes and 8
stars.

Section 4 – Turning Points

1. List 2 facts for each battle:
a. Antietam:
1. Took place in Sept 1862
2. Included the Bloodiest single day of the war

b. Vicksburg:
1. This battle began the recruitment of free blacks
2. Roughly 15% of the navy were African American during this battle

c. Gettysburg:
1. Lee led yet another invasion of the North which he failed
2. Ended with Northern Victory

2. On what side was General William T. Sherman?

Sherman fought for the north.

3. Describe what is meant by Sherman’s March.

Sherman focused on making the war unbearable for the south, as opposed to arriving at speedy victory.

Section 5 – The War at Sea

1. What were the Union’s two goals?
a. Blockading southern ports
B choking flow of supplies

3. What were the CSA’s two goals?

a. Keeping supplies moving over sea
b. raid supply ships in property of the North.

4. On March 9, 1862 the battle between Ironclads CCS Virginia and USS Monitor was a dramatic turning point in
the war at sea.
Section 6 – From Wilderness to Appomattox
1. How many Union troops and Confederate troops fought in the Wilderness battle that lasted 44 days?
1. Union  120K
2. Confederate  63K

2. Where did Grant attack in 1864 hoping to cut into the rail lines that sent supplies to Richmond?

Grant attacked Petersburg, a railroad just south of Richmond which supplied the capital of the confederacy, Richmond.

3. Where did Lee surrender?

Lee surrendered at Appomattox.

4. Who did Lee surrender to?

Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant.

5. How many Americans were killed and wounded?

a. Killed  620K
b. Wounded 400K

Section 7 -- Leaders
1. When did Lincoln decide to free the Slaves in the south?

After the battle of Antietam, Lincoln had decided that he would eventually free all slaves.

2. On what date did the Emancipation Proclamation go into effect?

The Emancipation Proclamation went into effect on January 1, 1863

3. Who did Lincoln name as General of the Union troops?

Ulyssess S. Grant for his wartime efforts, was named General of the Union Troops.

4. Lincoln’s main opponent in the 1864 election was George McClellan, who Lincoln replaced as General of the
Army of the Potomac.

5. Lincoln won reelection with 55% of the popular vote.

Section 8 – Military Leaders

1. Who were the Generals of each side?
a. Union  Ulyssess S. Grant, Philip Sheridan, David Farragut
b. Confederacy  Robert E. Lee, John Mosby, Raphael Semmes

2. What job was the Confederate General offered before accepting that role?

He was offered to command the Union by Lincoln himself.

3. Read the section on Grants Field Glasses. Write down Lincoln’s quote regarding Grant.
“Well… I hardly know what to think of him, altogether. He's the quietest little fellow you ever saw Why, he
makes the least fuss of any man you ever knew.”

4. What famous quote did Rear Admiral David Farragut say during the Battle of Mobile Bay?

Farragut said “Damn the Torpedoes... Full Speed Ahead!” during the Battle of Mobile Bay.

Section 9 – Soldiers in Blue and Gray

1. Compare and Contrast the Union Infantry with the Confederate Infantry.

The Union were fit with the latest in modern technology and equipment. The confederate soldiers were armed
with little and homemade equipment

Please view the pictures in the rest of this section.

2. Pick TWO of the most interesting artifacts and describe each.
a. US Waist Belt Plate – a greyish brown coin shaped belt with the US engraved upon it
b.Model 1842 Harpers Ferry – a long slender muske.

3. Describe the Confederate Spies in the “Cast of Characters section.”

These spies quietly infiltrated cities in the North with goals of finding information and military strategies. This
spying activity could be simple, ranging from robbing the newspaper to eavesdropping. Unfortunetly most of
these spies were never caught, with those that were being imprisoned.

Section 10 – Bloody Battles

1. What is the Minié ball?
Conical Shaped Bullets which were known for shooting farther and with more precise aim.

2. List 2 weapons and give a brief history of each.

a. Bayonets – a lethal extension to a rifle which was a triangular blade, famous for impaling and infecting soldiers
on the front lines.
b. Early grenades – a deeply flawed and unreliable version of the modern grenade which could cause shaky
explosions using fuses and gunpowder.

3. What is the Spotsylvania Tree Stump?

A tree which was damaged by the Civil War and remained a priceless artifact of the war.

Section 11 – Legacy: Reconstructionhttps://americanhistory.si.edu/price-of-freedom/civil-war/legacy-

reconstruction
1. What was Lincoln’s hope for after the war?

Lincoln wanted the south to become a part of the nation again and not be forced to pay too serious of consequences
which might lead to a future rebellion.

2. Lincoln’s assassination:
a. When? 10PM, Apr 14 1865
b. Where? Ford’s Theatre, DC
c. Who?Actor, John Wilkes Booth
d. What profession was the shooter? Actor
e. What part of the body was he shot? In the brain
 3. Who succeeded Lincoln as President?
Andrew Johnson

4. What 3 Amendments were added to the US Constitution as a result of the Civil War?

13 – Makes slavery completely illegal

14 – Every individual born in the USA has unalienable rights which cannot in any circumstance be
compromised

15 – Congress can’t pass discriminatory laws against minorities