
Who are the Federals in the Civil War? Union Army summary: The Union Army (aka the Federal Army, or Northern Army) was the army that fought for the Union (or North) during the the American Civil War. Actually, it was comprised of several armies, to cover the many departments (geographic regions) in which the war was fought.
What was the federal government called during the American Civil War?
During the American Civil War, the Federal Government was generally referred to as the Union, although the terms “United States,” “Federals,” the “North,” and “Yankee,” were also used.
What is American federalism and the Civil War?
American Federalism and the Civil War. The laws of England do not flow from a single principle; they are the result of many influences, they acknowledge authority and tradition, balance one set of interests by another, and aim at serving very various rights, and are determined by many considerations of expediency.
What types of soldiers served the Union in the Civil War?
Another type of soldier also served the Union — somewhat unusual, these troops were Confederate soldiers called Galvanized Yankees. In the midst of the Civil War, the United States was also dealing with another issue: the many emigrants heading westward.
What was different in the United States during the Civil War?
What was different in the Union was the emergence of skilled, well-funded medical organizers who took proactive action, especially in the much enlarged United States Army Medical Department, and the United States Sanitary Commission, a new private agency.

What side were the Federals on in the Civil War?
the UnionThe American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 9, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (states that remained loyal to the federal union, or "the North") and the Confederacy (states that voted to secede, or "the South").
Who were the unionists in the American Civil War?
Unionists in North Carolina were citizens who opposed the state's secession from the Union prior to and during the Civil War. After Abraham Lincoln won the presidency in November 1860, the dominant issue in North Carolina was whether the state should leave the Union and join other southern states in a new confederacy.
What was the Confederate fighting for?
Common sentiments for supporting the Confederate cause during the Civil War were slavery and states' rights. These motivations played a part in the lives of Confederate soldiers and the South's decision to withdraw from the Union. Many were motivated to fight in order to preserve the institution of slavery.
Who are the two sides in the Civil War?
The American Civil War was fought between the United States of America and the Confederate States of America, a collection of eleven southern states that left the Union in 1860 and 1861. The conflict began primarily as a result of the long-standing disagreement over the institution of slavery.
Who was the Union North or south?
During the American Civil War, the Union, also known as the North, referred to the United States led by President Abraham Lincoln. It was opposed by the secessionist Confederate States of America (CSA), informally called "the Confederacy" or "the South".
What were the Northerners called in the Civil War?
Yankee - A nickname for people from the North as well as Union soldiers.
Did the Confederate States want slavery?
Historian Drew Gilpin Faust observed that "leaders of the secession movement across the South cited slavery as the most compelling reason for southern independence". Although most white Southerners did not own slaves, the majority supported the institution of slavery and benefited indirectly from the slave society.
Did the Civil War end slavery?
The Civil War was a brutal war that lasted from 1861 to 1865. It left the south economically devastated, and resulted in the criminalization of slavery in the United States. Confederate General Lee surrendered to Union General Grant in the spring of 1865 officially ending the war.
What are the 3 main causes of the Civil War?
There were three main causes of the civil war including slavery, sectionalism and secession.
What was the South called in the Civil War?
the Confederate States of AmericaConfederacy: Also called the South or the Confederate States of America, the Confederacy incorporated the states that seceded from the United States of America to form their own nation.
What did the Confederates stand for?
The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting against the United States forces in order to uphold the institution of ...
Which states were Union and Confederate?
The Confederacy included the states of Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. Jefferson Davis was their President. Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, Kentucky and Missouri were called Border States. In 1865, the Union won the war.
What was the United States like before the Civil War?
For many years before the outbreak of the Civil War, the United States had become an object of anxiety or of envy to many, of wonder and curiosity to all mankind. Their prosperity, attached by a thousand beneficent links to the prosperity of England, seemed even more splendid and more secure. The rapid growth of their population united ...
Why did the South use the conditional federation?
The South applied the principle of conditional federation to cure the evils and to correct the errors of a false interpretation of democracy. ". Slavery was not the cause of secession, but the reason of its failure. In almost every nation and every clime the time has come for the extinction of servitude.
What happens when a majority is included in a faction?
The President Madison wrote, "When a majority is included in a faction, the form of popular government enables it to sacrifice to its ruling passion or interest both the public good and the rights of other citizens. If a majority be united by common interests, the rights of the minority will be insecure.".
What are the absolutists' principles of government?
But the absolutists of democracy and monarchy rank their principles of government at a higher value than the purposes of society and civilization, and create an idol to which they are ready to sacrifice the safeguards of property, the protection of virtue, and the sanctity of private life.
Why did the long reign of Southern politics at Washington, down to the year 1860, provoke no rupture?
And so it happened that the long reign of Southern politics at Washington, down to the year 1860, provoked no rupture, because they desired self-government, and not empire; whereas the victory of the North in the election of Mr. Lincoln gave at once the signal for dissolving the Union.
Has civil power been threatened?
The civil power has never been threatened or weakened by the resistance of a popular commander; differences of social station have not interfered with the organization of the army; military rank has not disturbed the level surface of ordinary life, the officer and the soldier have been merged in the peaceful citizen.
Who said the Constitution was a frail and worthless fabric?
Later in his life he called the Constitution a frail and worthless fabric, and a temporary bond. The first president after Washington, John Adams, said "he saw no possibility of continuing the Union of the states; that their dissolution must necessarily take place.".
How did the Civil War affect the American government?
The process of emancipation during the war forced the national government to assume powers that few Americans would have granted it before the conflict. Ensuring freedom in the postwar period required still greater expansions of federal authority, mostly under the auspices of new civil rights legislation. The longevity and intensity of the conflict bolstered the national government at the expense of the states as well. The federal government organized state militia units into a huge national army; established close relationships with the railroads, munitions manufacturers, and other military suppliers; and initiated long-sought legislative changes to create a truly integrated national economy. None of these changes was established easily. The era was marked by conflicts between advocates of expanded federal authority and those who sought to protect the prerogatives of the states. Nor were these changes established with perfect foresight. The necessities of war demanded new policies and new institutional arrangements, but the chaos and uncertainty of war blurred the nature of those changes.
Who was the governor of Georgia during the Civil War?
Governor Joseph Brown of Georgia, in particular, frustrated Davis’s efforts to solidify national control over manpower and resources in the Confederacy. The Confederacy never organized its Supreme Court, so there was no final arbiter to decide the merits of the arguments between Davis, Brown, and others.
What were the most public conflicts in the North?
The most public conflicts in the North over the extension of federal power revolved around Lincoln’s suspension of habeas corpus and the jailing of political prisoners. The issue erupted as soon as the war began.
What did Davis say about the Confederacy?
Like Lincoln, Davis sought to respond to the situations with which he was confronted; he argued that unless he used federal power to protect the Confederacy, the Confederacy would not last. Through the course of the war, the Davis administration responded progressively to pressures placed on the new nation by the war.
How did freedom in the postwar period affect the government?
Ensuring freedom in the postwar period required still greater expansions of federal authority, mostly under the auspices of new civil rights legislation. The longevity and intensity of the conflict bolstered the national government at the expense of the states as well.
Why were the arrests so high in 1862?
Arrests rose again in late 1862, as draft opponents demonstrated against the expansion of federal power embodied in the national draft. Union authorities arrested at least 15,000 people during the war, many of which were legitimate arrests of people actively encouraging desertion or draft resistance.
Who was the Secretary of the War Department in 1862?
In February 1862, the War Department assumed control over security and Secretary Edwin Stanton reduced arrests and established commissions to examine the cases of those still in prison. Most were released upon taking the loyalty oath.
Who led the Union Army during the Civil War?
General Ulysses S. Grant led the Union Army during the later years of the civil war, and with his victory at Appomattox Courthouse, effectively ended the civil war. Learn more about Ulysses S. Grant
Who was the most successful Confederate general?
Robert E. Lee. General Robert E. Lee was the commander of the Army of Northern Virginia and is considered the most successful confederate general. Learn more about Robert E. Lee.
What was the name of the highest ranking officer in the Civil War?
General Joseph Johnston was the highest ranking officer to leave the U.S. army to join the Confederacy. He fought in many of the Civil War’s major battles and died of pneumonia. Read more about Joseph Johnston
Who was the Union general who lost the Battle of Chancellorsville?
Joseph Hooker. General Joseph Hooker was a major general for the Union during the Civil War and a career army officer. Hooker was known for his audacious battle strategies, one of which took place against Robert E. Lee. However, he lost that Battle at Chancellorsville.
Who was the general who fought in the Battle of Gettysburg?
John Reynolds. General John Reynolds was an army officer and a general during the Civil War. He was a very respected senior commander and is known for committing the Army of the Potomac to Gettysburg. Reynolds was killed early in that same battle. He was buried in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1863.
Who was the most controversial general in the Civil War?
Benjamin Butler. General Benjamin Butler was not only a soldier but also a lawyer and eventually a politician for the state of Massachusetts. He still ranks as one of the, if not the, most controversial political generals during the Civil War. Butler died in court at the capital, Washington DC.
Who led the First Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia?
General James Longstreet led the First Corps of the Army Of Northern Virginia is considered one of the most capable generals on either side. Read more about James Longstreet.
How many states were there in the Union during the Civil War?
In the context of the Civil War, it has also often been used as a synonym for "the northern states loyal to the United States government;" in this meaning, the Union consisted of 20 free states and five border states.
Who did the Republicans run against in 1864?
In 1864, the Republicans campaigned under the National Union Party banner, which attracted many War Democrats and soldiers and scored a landslide victory for Lincoln and his entire ticket against Democratic candidate George B. McClellan .
Why did the Confederacy give promissory notes?
By contrast the Confederacy gave paper promissory notes when it seized property, so that even loyal Confederates would hide their horses and mules rather than sell them for dubious paper.
How did the Union economy prosper during the war?
The Union economy grew and prospered during the war while fielding a very large army and navy. The Republicans in Washington had a Whiggish vision of an industrial nation, with great cities, efficient factories, productive farms, all national banks, all knit together by a modern railroad system, to be mobilized by the United States Military Railroad. The South had resisted policies such as tariffs to promote industry and homestead laws to promote farming because slavery would not benefit. With the South gone and Northern Democrats weak, the Republicans enacted their legislation. At the same time they passed new taxes to pay for part of the war and issued large amounts of bonds to pay for most of the rest. Economic historians attribute the remainder of the cost of the war to inflation. Congress wrote an elaborate program of economic modernization that had the dual purpose of winning the war and permanently transforming the economy. For a list of the major industrialists see .
What was the scene of the Civil War in Missouri?
Missouri was the scene of over 1,000 engagements between Union and Confederate forces, and uncounted numbers of guerrilla attacks and raids by informal pro-Confederate bands. Western Missouri was the scene of brutal guerrilla warfare during the Civil War.
How did the Union respond to the death of soldiers?
The Union responded by building army hospitals in every state.
What is the Union?
The term "Union" occurs in the first governing document of the United States, the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union. The subsequent Constitution of 1787 was issued and ratified in the name not of the states, but of "We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union ...".
How many Confederate soldiers were in the Battle of Missouri?
The battle marked the first time that the Missouri State Guard fought alongside Confederate forces. A combined force of over 12,000 Confederate soldiers, Arkansas State Troops, and Missouri State Guardsmen under Confederate Brigadier Benjamin McCulloch fought approximately 5,400 Federals in a punishing six-hour battle.
What was Missouri like during the Civil War?
For the former government in exile, see Confederate government of Missouri. During the American Civil War, Missouri was a hotly contested border state popula ted by both Union and Confederate sympathizers.
What was the strategic territory of Missouri during the Civil War?
When the war began in 1861, it became clear that control of the Mississippi River and the burgeoning economic hub of St. Louis would make Missouri a strategic territory in the Trans-Mississippi Theater .
How many slaves were there in Missouri in 1860?
At the time of the 1860 U.S. Census, Missouri's total population was 1,182,012, of which 114,931 (9.7%) were slaves. Most of the slaves lived in rural areas rather than cities. Of the 299,701 responses to "Occupation", 124,989 people listed "Farmers" and 39,396 listed "Farm Laborers.".
What was Missouri's position in the center of the country?
A slave state since statehood in 1821, Missouri's geographic position in the center of the country and at the rural edge of the American frontier ensured that it remained a divisive battleground for competing Northern and Southern ideologies in the years preceding the war.
When did Missouri join the Union?
Missouri entered the Union in 1821 as a slave state following the Missouri Compromise of 1820, in which Congress agreed that slavery would be illegal in all territory north of 36°30' latitude, except Missouri. The compromise was that Maine would enter the Union as a free state to balance Missouri.
When was the Missouri war?
The war in Missouri was continuous between 1861 and 1865, with battles and skirmishes in all areas of the state, from the Iowa and Illinois borders in the northeast to the Arkansas border in the southeast and southwest.

Political and Military Challenges in The North
- The most public conflicts in the North over the extension of federal power revolved around Lincoln’s suspension of habeas corpus and the jailing of political prisoners. The issue erupted as soon as the war began. Lincoln suspended habeas corpus before Congress came into session in 1861 and periodically throughout the war. The first test of the president’s authority to suspend h…
Economic and Administrative Changes in The North
- The Lincoln administration expanded federal capacities in a number of nonmilitary areas as well. With southern Democrats absent from both chambers, Republicans were able to pass a sequence of long-sought legislative initiatives that elaborated the national market system that emerged in the antebellum period. All of these bills drew on federal authority with regard to land, economic …
The Confederate Experience
- Perhaps surprisingly, given the emphasis placed on states’ rights as a justification for war in the postwar period, the Confederacy experienced a growth of national authority similar to what occurred in the United States. Because the Confederate constitution enshrined the principles of state sovereignty, Confederates faced a more contradictory situ...
Public Perceptions of Wartime Changes
- The similarities in governance between the North and the South were mirrored in the reactions of citizens of each section to the changes undertaken by their respective governments. Most civilians complained bitterly about the expansion of national authority, but most accepted it as the price for winning the war. Within each section, a die-hard political opposition did not accept the …