American Civil War Essays

Nathan Bedford Forrest, born on July 13, 1821 in Bedford County, Tennessee, was the son of blacksmith William Forrest and Marian Beck Forrest. Tragically, when Nathan was just 16 years old, his father passed away, leaving him with the responsibility of providing for his family. Despite his lack of formal education, Nathan initially worked as […]

Robert E. Lee, who was considered to be the greatest soldier fighting for the Confederate States of America, descended from a long line of famous heroes. Many of Lee’s ancestors played important roles in America’s history. His father was a Revolutionary War hero and a friend of George Washington. He was often referred to as […]

Was the Civil War an unavoidable conflict? Yes, the Civil War was an unavoidable conflict that was destined to erupt due to the disparities between the Northern and Southern societies, the institution of slavery, and political differences. Following the attainment of Independence, the American society became more intricate. This complexity was brought about by three […]

Background Andrew Johnson, the 17th president, was born in Raleigh, North Carolina on December 29th, 1808. At the young age of three years old, Andrew’s father. Jacob Johnson passed away while drowning in an attempt to save the life of Editor Henderson from the Raleigh Gazette in 1812. Andrew’s mother, Mary Johnson, worked hard as […]

The Boston Massacre remains one of the ugliest incidents that occurred during the early days of the American colonies. What the Boston Massacre entailed was several British soldiers, responding to taunts by American citizens, opened fire on the unarmed crowd killing five people, one of whom was Crispus Attucks, a freed slave who had been […]

During the 19th century, the United States of America had distinct characteristics compared to its present state. Infrastructure, buildings, and highways varied significantly. Technological advancements such as fast cars and the concept of cyberspace were absent. However, a notable feature that set this period apart was the prevalent presence of slavery in society and economy.

The “Somebody-Wanted-But-So” chart is a useful resource for summarizing important historical information. It helps identify individuals or groups, their goals or desires, the challenges they encountered, and the eventual result. This method is particularly effective as human needs, wants, and actions shape history. Part 1 – Use the lesson’s information to complete the chart below. […]

Zinn chapter 9 talks about slavery before and after the Civil War, it describes the United States Government’s support of slavery until Abraham Lincoln’s approach to end Slavery. It mentions how the slaves were kept into slavery by whipping, religion, separating families and even killing. There were many failed attempts to abolish slavery prior to […]

Sherman writes to General Ulysses S. Grant, discussing the importance of army size in modern warfare. He urges for the request of the largest possible armies from our country, emphasizing that a great nation should not take risks with war. Sherman believes that having a bigger army is advantageous. The letter sent to General John […]

In his book, The Louisiana Native Guards, James Hollandsworth gives a brief description of the initial African American Army division during the Civil War and the unfairness experienced by black people from both Southern and Northern white societies. Hollandsworth claims that this division was unique in Civil War records since they began as a ceremonial […]

In 1861, the United States was no longer united and its people were at war, in what is commonly known as the American Civil War. This left President Abraham Lincoln in a tight spot on how to go about dealing with the Southern states that had seceded, the Confederacy, who were now at war with […]

Through this course segment, I’ve gained insights into war poetry. I have thoroughly analyzed the works of esteemed authors and poets such as Rudyard Kipling, Robert Southey, Walt Whitman, Thomas Hardy, Edgar Wallace, and most notably Lord Alfred Tennyson. Tennyson is praised for his position as Poet Laureate alongside writing ‘Charge of the Light Brigade’. […]

Cold Mountain, the first novel by Charles Frazier, received great praise and won the National Book Award for fiction in 1997. Having previously written about travel and short stories, Frazier’s expertise in portraying landscapes and employing a concise writing style is evident in Cold Mountain. The novel features an episodic structure and contains richly descriptive […]

During America’s most consequential wars, the United States government has restricted civil liberties of the American people despite the nation’s strong rooted foundation for preserving every citizen’s rights. When danger is an ever present factor for the nation due to war or conflict restrictions are often placed on some of the most basic freedoms and […]

Why choose Abraham Lincoln? There are so many great leaders from our collective past and present, so choosing one to focus on as a Leader was not an easy task. We decided to let fate decide and took out a penny. Just before flipping the coin, Janshan noticed that it was an American Penny and […]

Free Response #1 In what ways and to what extent was the industrial development from 1800 to 1860 a factor in the relationship between the northern an southern states? From 1800 to 1860 the Northern and Southern states relationship became worse and eventually led to the separation of the North and South states. Before the […]

Chapter 17 Terms Ten Percent Plan – When the number of Confederates reached 10 percent of the number who had voted in the 1860 election, this group could establish a legitimate state government. Focused on acceptance by the reconstructed governments of the abolition of slavery. Radical Republicans – Advocated not only equal rights for the […]

The movie portrays how slavery impacted African-American families, creating similarities to families in different circumstances and times. Slavery was a condition they were born into, leading to degradation and mistreatment. African Americans were denied the freedom of speech, unable to voice their opinions or receive an education. Despite these obstacles, they fought for their freedom […]

John Brown, a radical abolitionist, harbored intense hatred for slavery and resorted to violence in his battle against it. He believed that shedding blood was the only means to cleanse the nation of its guilt. Prior to the Civil War, Brown and his followers confronted the Missouri Border Ruffians while advocating for the eradication of […]

The Antebellum period in American history (1800-1850) was marked by sectionalism, particularly due to the acquisition of new territories during western expansion. This further divided different regions of America, as the Southern states sought new territories for slave labor while the North aimed to limit slavery’s expansion. While tensions between the North and South were […]

This battle gave the union a greater advantage for winning the war and on July 1, 1863 shots were fired outside Gettysburg that marked the beginning of what would become one of the largest and most significant battles in the world. Before the battle of Gettysburg the south felt as if they had a chance […]

The Battle of Gettysburg occurred in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania from July 1st-3rd, 1863 and is recognized as a crucial moment in the American Civil War. It is widely considered to be the most important fight of this war. The significance of Gettysburg lies in its depiction of a clash between the North and South, which represented […]