Subject Areas |
History and Social Studies
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U.S. History - Civics and U.S. Government |
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U.S. History - Civil War and Reconstruction |
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Time Required |
| One to two class periods
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Skills |
| historical comprehension
historical interpretation
historical issues analysis and decision making
critical thinking
argumentation
oral presentation skills
primary document analysis
Internet skills
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Date Posted |
| 4/8/2002 |
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Lincoln Goes to War
Introduction
This
lesson plan explores the decision-making process that precipitated the Civil War,
focusing on deliberations within the Lincoln administration that led to the Confederate
attack on Fort Sumter in April 1861. Students first review the situation that
Lincoln inherited when he took office in March 1861, and summarize his views on
the critical issues before him as reflected in his First Inaugural Address. Then
students examine the conflicting recommendations that Lincoln received from his
cabinet as he formulated a response to the Confederate demand that federal troops
evacuate Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina. Working with primary documents,
students argue the risks and benefits of the options Lincoln had before him, re-enacting
the debate among his cabinet members, and then, based on Lincoln's final decision,
seek to determine what he thought was ultimately at stake. Finally, students investigate
the Confederate contention that, by attempting to secure Fort Sumter, Lincoln
provoked the South to defend itself and thus ignited the Civil War. Looking back
at the words Lincoln addressed to the secessionists in his First Inaugural Address
-- "We must not be enemies" -- students consider whether or not his actions bore
out those sentiments.
Learning Objectives
1) To learn about the secession crisis of 1861 and the
significance of the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter; (2) To explore how Abraham
Lincoln made the decision to secure Fort Sumter despite Confederate objections;
(3) To evaluate the extent to which Lincoln's actions were calculated to provoke
conflict; (4) To gain experience in working with official papers, private correspondence,
and public speeches as resources for historical study.
1
The Battle of Fort Sumter, though one of the shortest of the Civil War and one
of the few with no casualties on either side, remains a key moment in the history
of that conflict, not only because it marked the opening of armed hostilities
but also because it brought the meaning of secession sharply into focus for both
sides. Begin this lesson by reviewing with students the events that led up to
the battle, drawing on the resources available through EDSITEment at the Crisis
at Fort Sumter. Outpolled by his rivals in
the election of 1860, Lincoln did not win a majority of the popular vote. He did
capture a majority in the North, while his sharpest critic, Breckinridge, took
less than half the vote in the slave states. Despite this equivocal outcome, Lincoln's
victory emboldened the advocates of Southern secession. For additional information
on the election, see the "Background" section titled The
Election of 1860. To learn more about the Southern secession, see the "Background"
section titled Secession
in the Deep South. To access information regarding the secession of specific
states, scroll down to the calendar
icon at the bottom. Click on the following dates for further analysis of the
secession of these states: Florida (January 10), Alabama (January 11), Georgia
(January 19), Louisiana (January 26), and Texas (February 1).
2
To gauge how Lincoln reacted to these developments and the
situation that faced him as he took office, have students read his First
Inaugural Address, available through EDSITEment at the Presidential
Speeches website. (At the website's homepage, click on "Abraham Lincoln,"
then select "First
Inaugural Address, 1861.") Divide the class into study groups, each representing
one of the constituencies addressed by Lincoln's speech. Have each group report
on its "reaction" to his speech, citing passages where he addressed issues vital
to their interests. For example:
- Secessionists: How
would those who supported the Confederate States of America react to Lincoln's
assertion "that no State upon its own mere motion can lawfully get out of the
Union; that resolves and ordinances to that effect are legally void,
and that acts of violence within any State or States against the authority of
the United States are insurrectionary or revolutionary, according to circumstances"?
What other passages of the speech seem aimed at this audience?
- Non-secessionists:
How would those in the slave states that had not seceded react to Lincoln's assurance
that "I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution
of slavery in the States where it exists"? How would they understand his remarks
about fugitive slaves? Where in the speech does he raise questions about the practical
consequences of secession? What attitude does Lincoln express toward these states?
Conciliatory or threatening? Cooperative or noncommittal?
- Compromise
proponents: Does Lincoln address the issues raised by the Crittenden Compromise?
How would this audience interpret his remarks on the Constitution's limitations:
"May Congress prohibit slavery in the Territories? The Constitution does
not expressly say. Must Congress protect slavery in the Territories? The
Constitution does not expressly say." How would they view his comments on a possible
Constitutional convention? Does Lincoln seem open to compromise on the question
of extending slavery? Does he imply that there might be a right formula for settling
differences over slavery?
- Unionists:
What is Lincoln's message to those outraged by secession and impatient to reassert
federal authority? How would they receive his assurance than the Union "will
constitutionally defend and maintain itself" and his promise that "In doing this
there needs to be no bloodshed or violence, and there shall be none unless it
be forced upon the national authority"? Would they share his "hope of a peaceful
solution of the national troubles"?
- Abolitionists:
How would those determined to abolish slavery throughout the United States respond
to Lincoln's support for a constitutional amendment "to the effect that the Federal
Government shall never interfere with the domestic institutions of the States,
including that of persons held to service"? How would those held in slavery react?
3
Have
students research the situation at Fort Sumter during this period, using the resources
available through EDSITEment at the Crisis
at Fort Sumter. Many federal forts were taken over by state forces during
the period of secession, but Fort Sumter was an exception to these seizures. It
was not easily defended, being surrounded by three other forts which were all
in Confederate hands. It was also the least significant in terms of military value
and the one most in need of supplies. Soon after Lincoln's inauguration, the fort's
commander sent word that he would be without provisions for his troops by mid-April.
Upon taking office, then, Lincoln was faced with the decision whether or not to
preserve a force at Fort Sumter, and if so, how? By March 29, this question had
become critical and Lincoln convened a cabinet meeting to help him determine the
best course to take.
4
Provide students with transcripts of the written opinions
that Lincoln's cabinet members submitted after their meeting on March 29, using
the resources available through EDSITEment at the Crisis
at Fort Sumter website. (At the website's homepage, click on "Hesitation and
Decision," then click "Problem 4" in the calendar. Scroll down to the pictures
of Lincoln's cabinet members: William H. Seward,
Secretary of State; Montgomery Blair,
Postmaster-General; Gideon Welles,
Secretary of the Navy; Caleb B. Smith,
Secretary of the Interior; Salmon P. Chase,
Secretary of the Treasury; and Edward Bates,
Attorney-General. Click on each picture to reach a summary of that cabinet member's
opinion, then click "Advice" to retrieve a transcript of his written recommendation.)
Have students work in groups to sort out the options that were presented to Lincoln,
and the risks and benefits associated with each course of action. Then debate
these choices: - Evacuate Fort Sumter or
sustain it?
- Send only supplies or send additional
troops as well?
- Take action in secret or
advise Confederate officials beforehand?
Have
each student write an executive memorandum expressing a choice among these options
(or a preference for some other option), explaining the reasons for that choice,
and forecasting the consequences of that choice in the situation Lincoln had before
him.
5
Have
members of the class share their memoranda, then discuss what Lincoln might have
written in a memorandum justifying his decision: to supply Fort Sumter with provisions
only and to inform Confederate officials beforehand, assuring them that no troops
would be landed if the supply mission were not attacked. - Discuss
the possible benefits of this decision. What could Lincoln hope to accomplish
by providing the troops at Fort Sumter with provisions? Could they realistically
hold out against a Confederate attack? Would their presence continue to inhibit
Confederate action? Was Lincoln hoping to prolong a stalemate, or did he have
some other goal in mind? Assuming that Fort Sumter itself was indefensible, what
could he achieve by trying and failing to hold it that he could not achieve by
simply giving it up?
- Discuss the potential
risks of Lincoln's decision. What was the likely Confederate reaction to a squadron
of Union ships entering Charleston harbor? What would they make of Lincoln's assurance
that the ships carried only provisions? What were their choices in this situation,
and what benefits could they expect by letting the supply mission proceed? Assuming
that Lincoln could anticipate that the Confederates would feel threatened and
suspicious on receiving his message, why did he not at least attempt a secret
mission? Was there some underlying benefit in alerting the Confederates, despite
the obvious risks?
- Have students consider
the possibility that Lincoln may have viewed Fort Sumter in almost symbolic terms,
as a staging ground for political conflict, not a strategic asset in the first
stages of the military struggle. The Fort's military value was insignificant and
tenuous, no matter how it might be reinforced. By making an open and non-belligerent
effort to hold it, however, Lincoln could demonstrate his commitment to carry
out his constitutional duty no matter what the cost, and could to some extent
dramatize the Union's commitment to sustain even its most beleaguered member.
At the same time, if the Confederates repelled his effort and seized the fort,
they would demonstrate their determination to dominate and dramatize their commitment
to violence. Seen in this light, how might the non-secessionist slave states have
interpreted his action? How might it have influenced opinion among Unionists in
the North?
6
Conclude
this lesson by taking up the Confederate charge that Lincoln provoked civil war
by his actions at Fort Sumter. What should he have done if he had wanted to preserve
the peace and seek a compromise with the secessionists? - Remind
students of Lincoln's promise in his inaugural address: "There needs to be no
bloodshed or violence, and there shall be none unless it be forced upon the national
authority. The power confided to me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess
the property and places belonging to the Government . . . but beyond what may
be necessary for these objects, there will be no invasion." How can these words
be applied to the situation at Fort Sumter? What does he suggest is really at
stake there?
- Remind students finally of
the celebrated closing words of Lincoln's inaugural address:
We
are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have
strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory,
stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and
hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union,
when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature. Have
students reflect on this passage in relation to Lincoln's actions at Fort Sumter
and write an editorial, for publication on the day after the battle there, commenting
on whether "the better angels of our nature" played a part in Lincoln's decision.
Extending the Lesson
To gain additional perspective on the crisis at Fort Sumter,
have students research contemporary news reports in Northern and Southern newspapers,
available through EDSITEment at the Valley
of the Shadow website. (At the website's homepage, click on "Enter the Valley
Archive," then select "The War Years" and click on "Newspapers" in the navigation
graphic. Click on "Newspaper Search Page" and select "Search All Civil War Newspapers,"
then choose "Year: All" and type "Fort Sumter" into the text box for a list of
news
articles covering the Fort Sumter crisis.) For analysis of a difficult presidential
decision in a different era, see the 1996 article "America,
Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Holocaust," by William J. vanden Heuvel, available
through EDSITEment at the New
Deal Network website. (At the website's homepage, click on "Franklin and Eleanor
Roosevelt Institute," then select "Topics
and Issues" at the bottom of the page for the text of the article.)
Standards Alignment
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