The American Civil War and the Reconstruction era

1
The American Civil War and the Reconstruction era

• The American Civil War began on April 12, 1861
  and ended on May 26, 1865.

2
The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass,
an American Slave

• C. 1817-1895
• 21 years of slavery- escaped to free states by
  disguising himself as a sailor where he became a
  Civil Rights advocate
• Douglass taught to read illegally (Mrs. Auld)
• Earned international fame as an author and
  speaker
• This soul that is within me, no man can degrade.

3
Abraham Lincoln 16th President of the UNITED
States

• 1809-1865
• Born in Kentucky to illiterate parents, Honest
  Abe was self-educated and was a legislator before
  becoming C in C
• He was the first American president to be
  murdered in office. His death is one of the most
  famous in American history.
• As president
• Dedicated to keeping the union together
• He was opposed to slavery and thought
• it to be injustice and bad policy but it is
  important
• to note that he was not an abolitionist.

4
The Gettysburg Address

• Battle at Gettysburg July 1-3, 1863
• Union won the battle and it was a major turning
  point in the war, but the losses, on both sides,
  were staggering. 28K Confederate and 23K Union
  soldiers were killed or wounded.
• Lincoln delivered this speech on November, 19 of
  that year as he dedicated a cemetery on the
  hallowed ground.

5
The Emancipation ProclamationJanuary 1, 1863

• This is a widely misunderstood document.
• Here are some interesting facts
• Remember, Lincoln was not an abolitionist!
• The E.P. is more of a symbolic gesture and is not
  really an enforceable law.
• It applied only to slaves that were owned in
  territories that the Union did not control and
  did not free slaves that were held in places
  loyal to the Union.
• The E.P. barely affected the Confederacy, but it
  would support the Norths causes and help them
  win the war

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• The E.P. inspired nearly 20,000 free slaves to
  join the armed forces and their efforts were key
  in helping the North win the war.

7
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

• Author Ambrose Bierce was a Civil war soldier and
  a first hand witness to many atrocities of war.
• Often compared to E.A. Poe, Bierce was fascinated
  with strange and horrible death.
• VANISHED! At 71, he returned to the battle sites
  where he had fought. Then, he went to Mexico to
  report on Pancho Villas war (The Mex.
  Revolution) and was never heard from again!

8
Reconstruction- The Period after the Civil War

• The war did not end on May 26, 1865 at the
  Appomattox Courthousethere was much healing to
  do.
• The prosperous, mostly agricultural South had to
  try to rebuild after the devastation of the war-
  without slave labor and, there was still great
  animosity between the sides many wounds would
  have to heal

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• Many Northerners moved into the South and were
  hated and referred to as Carpetbaggers- a slur
• All Americans were affected and had to adjust to
  a life where slave labor did not exist, free
  blacks lived in all states (KKK) and try to put
  away the hurts of the war
• Mark Twain Most famous American (Reconstruction)
  author

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Mark Twain

• Born Samuel Clemens in Hannibal, MS
• Was affected by the Civil War and the war on
  slavery
• Grew up along the Mississippi River and was a
  river boat captain for a time
• Was a humorist (comedian) on the lecture circuit
  and gained immortality with
• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
• The Adventures of Tom Sawyer