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The Battle decimated the troops, but it also affected their morale and their own belief they could win the war. It was a decisive battle for both sides, and when the South lost, it was another element that would lead to their defeat. Union victories in the West (Vicksburg and Port Hudson) simply added to the South's woes as they retreated from Gettysburg.
Finally, the third important factor in the South's defeat was President Lincoln's reelection. The Democrats made the war a major part of their platform, especially the freeing of the slaves in the Emancipation Proclamation, and their candidate, had he won, might have recalled the petition and changed the tide of the war. However, Lincoln's reelection showed a majority of the country supported the president and his policies, and that included his staunch position on the war. The Democrats wanted peace at any cost, but their nominee (General McClellan) proposed both peace and war. He did not support emancipation for the blacks, but he did support suppressing the South by force, and so, he did not gain enough Democratic support to win the election....
Lincoln's reelection tied the North together and showed the supported the war effort and freedom for blacks. It sent a strong message to the South - that the North would not back down in this war and ultimately, the South could not overcome these three important issues. Each one was vital to the ultimate Southern defeat, and without any one of these elements, the tide of the war could have ebbed and flowed on a different course.
The South made mistakes during the Civil War, and so did the North. However, without these vital turning points, even with other obstacles, the South had at least a chance of victory. With them, the South was doomed to eventual defeat, reconstruction, and reuniting with the North to form a new and different Union.
Reference
McPhearson, J.M. (2001). Ordeal by fire: The Civil War and reconstruction. New York: McGraw Hill.
Reference
McPhearson, J.M. (2001). Ordeal by fire: The Civil War and reconstruction. New York: McGraw Hill.
Johnson rebuked generals and Congress continued to pass into legislation laws Johnson had vetoed. Johnson's antics caused more and more supporters to abandon him, and impeachment became a very real concern. Congress voted to impeach Johnson in 1868 after he violated the Tenure of Office Act and tried to remove Secretary of War Stanton, but the Senate did not convict him. During this time, a struggle between the court system
Ultimately, Grant may be remembered as one of America's best generals. He is still the only general in history to capture three separate armies, and he presided over Lee's surrender at Appomattox in April 1865. He was also a fair man who treated the Confederates well during their surrender. He was simply determined not to allow the South to be victorious. He sometimes misjudged his generals, and perhaps left some
Instead of continuing the campaign, where he had an advantage, McClellan demanded reinforcements, and the campaign missed a golden opportunity to take the capital. McClellan blamed the mishap on the inability of Union troops to join him on the peninsula to aid in the attack, because they were engaged in the Battle of the Shenandoah Valley in the west, but many doubt this, feeling McClellan was simply afraid to
The government also became a large consumer of manufactured goods, which added even more profits to industries' coffers. There were some problems during this time of growth and development, however. The powerful railroads often wielded their power indiscriminately, and many Americans can to criticize the power and exploitation of the railroads and their wealthy owners. Owners often created schemes to make money both from railroads and their construction, which led
Even "Porter Alexander, Lee's ordnance chief and one of the most perceptive contemporary observers of Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia, called his decision to stand at Antietam 'the greatest military blunder that Gen. Lee ever made'" (Owens 2004). Historians are divided as to the real purpose behind the Maryland campaign, which seems like an "isolated maneuver, another manifestation of Lee's innate aggressiveness as a commander. Some have
Chinese-American History The Exclusion Act; Redefining Citizenship Historians have studied the Chinese Exclusion Act extensively and have recorded many aspects of the politics behind the events. However, they often focus their attentions on the motives of the excluders. They pay little attention to those that were excluded and the impact that it had on their lives. One important question has escaped the scrutiny of historians. Why, if they knew of the hardships