The American Civil War 2
The groundwork for the Civil War was laid many years before its actual start on April 12, 1861 with the firing on Fort Sumpter. One of the main reasons for the war; slavery, had been going on since before the formation of the United States. However it wasn't until the early 1850s that anyone had a real problem with slavery. From then on, it was only a matter of time before the greatest war ever fought on American soil would begin. In 1850, the Fugitive Slave Law was put into effect. This law stated that anyone helping a runaway slave could face up to six months in jail, and a fine of 1,000 dollars. This new law meant that many slaves who had already escaped to the North and were living in freedom could now be captured and returned to their owners where they were almost guaranteed death or an unbearable life. Because of this, abolitionists mainly in the North and some in the South began to speak out even more than before on the unfairness of slavery. Until 1852, most of those involved in the antislavery movement, were free black men and women who had lived as slaves and been granted their freedom by their former owners. This began to change however with the release of the novel
On July 21, 1861, these two inexperienced armies met for the first time twenty miles south of Washington at a small stream known as Bull Run. At first, it looked as though the Union was going to win this first battle in a very short time frame, but the Rebels rallied and using their fighting knowledge drove the Union almost back to Washington. At this point in the war, the South could probably have taken Washington in one quick stroke, but the Rebels seemed to be even more unorganized when they won than the Union when they lost. After every southern victory, instead of pursuing the enemy, they sat down and had a party, getting so drunk that they could barely march. Because of this, the Civil War turned out to be one of the longest wars in US history. After the Battle of Gettysburg, General Lee retreated back to Confederate territory, where the last battles of the war were to be fought. By this time, Lincoln had given command of his army to a very young general by the name of Ulysses S. Grant. General Grant had won numerous victories in the West especially in Tennessee and along the Mississippi River. His siege and defeat of the Confederates at Vicksburg, gave the Union control of the Mississippi River, a vital artery in supplying the new states and territories in the West with needed supplies and the troops with food and equipment.
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 2433
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page double spaced)
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