Fought from 1861 to 1865, the Civil War tested the resolve of the American nation. Between Union and Confederate forces, over 600,000 soldiers were lost. It was an intense period that still captivates the minds of many scholars, but can you remember enough from history class to pass a Civil War basics quiz? Or will you get lost in all the little facts? Think about each answer before you respond, and see how well you do!
1: Which former U.S. president was in charge of leading of 533,000 Union soldiers?
George Peter Alexander Healy
Ulysses S. Grant became the Union Army's lieutenant general in 1864, and led the troops to their first victory. He would become the 18th president three years later, and he made it his mission to rid all shred of slavery left on the constitutional books.
2: Do you know how many years the Civil War lasted?
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In total, the Civil War lasted for four years from 1861 to 1865. War was officially declared in April of 1861 when Confederate troops began their attack on Union soldiers guarding South Carolina's Fort Sumter. It ended in 1865 when General Robert E. Lee surrendered.
3: Which one of these things was not a reason for the Civil War?
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Slavery is the biggest and most revolutionary reason for the Civil War, but tensions were also running high over taxes, tariffs, and state's rights. Immigration was not one of the causes of the Civil War; however, Union forces were comprised of 33% immigrants.
4: In what state would you find the Gettysburg battlefield?
Wiki Commons by J.R. Chapin
After a horrific battle in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Abraham Lincoln arrived to deliver marks. His 1863 Gettysburg Address remains one of the world's most popular speeches. The speech was given at a ceremony to dedicate the former battlefield as a national cemetery.
5: And which one of these states was the first to secede from the Union?
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In total, seven states seceded from the Union during 1860 and 1861. The first state, South Carolina, petitioned for a convention, and the remaining states followed suit. Soon, a map designating the Confederate areas replaced the former U.S. map.
6: Union soldiers wore dark blue, but what color uniforms did Confederate soldiers wear?
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During early Civil War battles, many soldiers lost their lives because there were no uniforms and it was easy to mix up the two forces. As the war progress, the Confederate army adopted dark gray uniforms to differentiate themselves from Union forces.
7: Do you have any idea what caused the deaths of over 65% of all civil war soldiers?
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From the battle of Gettysburg to the surrender at Appomattox, the Civil War was full of bloody battles and war-related fatalities. Unfortunately, nearly 66% of Union and Confederate soldiers died from diseases like pneumonia and dysentery. These ailments were responsible for over 400,000 deaths.
8: General William T. Sherman ordered the burning of which U.S. city?
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In the last summer of 1864, General Sherman knew that Union soldiers were moving closer and likely to take the city of Atlanta. Rather than allow Union troops to benefit from the Confederate stockpiles of supplies, he ordered that the city be burned. Union forces took the city the next day, but not before Sherman destroyed over 40% of it.
9: The Union Army or the Confederate Army — which one was bigger?
Thure de Thulstrup
At no point during the Civil War did Confederate soldiers outnumber Union soldiers. While the Union Army was estimated to have 2.1 million members, the Confederate Army only had 1.06 million. Sadly, 625,000 total soldiers from both sides perished.
10: What was the name of the covert operation that helped runaway slaves find their way to Union states?
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After escaping from slavery, Harriet Tubman taught other escapees the skills they would need to make money from Union soldiers. By 1863, she was navigating through the south with a Union General and leading the Underground Railroad. Over the course of the Underground Railroad's existence, it helped to free over 700 slaves.
11: Can you remember the name of the man responsible for President Lincoln's assassination?
Wiki Commons by Currier & Ives, 1865.
When John Wilkes Booth assassinated Lincoln at a theater in 1865, it was the second time there was an attempt on his life. Two years earlier in 1863, someone shot a hole is his hat as he was returning home from visiting a soldier. He was uninjured in the first attack and tried to keep it quiet so that his wife wouldn't worry.
12: Arlington National Cemetery rests on the grounds of which general's former home?
Wiki Commons by Michael Miley (1841-1918)
Robert E. Lee's 1,100-acre estate was confiscated for non-payment of taxes. President Lincoln ordered the grounds to become the cemetery we now know as Arlington National Cemetery. Lee once thought about trying to reclaim his estate, but he feared the cemetery would force him to face his bloody history.
13: How much do you think Black Union soldiers were paid per month?
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While white Union soldiers were paid at least $13 per month, Black Union soldiers were paid $3 less. As an act of protest, Black Union soldiers refused their pay for over 18 months of the war. Eventually, in 1864, enough pressure was put on members of congress to ensure they were paid equally.
14: What is the name of the man elected to be President of the Confederate States of America in 1861?
Wiki Commons by Archibald Crossland McIntyre of Montgomery, Alabama
Jefferson Davis served as the Confederate president for the entirety of the Civil War. He believed that individual states possessed the right to secede as they wished. He was named after Thomas Jefferson, and he was captured by the Union Army in 1865. Many rumors claim that he was dressed as a woman during his arrest, but the theory has been debunked many times.
15: What did the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 do?
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President Lincoln simply would not agree to the Confederate convention's insistence that there were no longer part of the Union. In signing the Emancipation Proclamation, he freed all the slaves still living in Confederate states. Although it did not abolish slavery, it paved the way for the constitutional changes to come.
16: Where did the First Battle of Bull Run take place?
Wiki Commons by William Ridgway after Felix Octavius Carr Darley
When Abraham Lincoln dispatched Union soldiers to Bull Run close to Manassas, Virginia, he expected an easy victory. But Confederate forces led by Stonewall Jackson were too strong, and the Union Army was forced to retreat. It is known as the first major battle of the Civil War.
17: Which one of these organizations was brought to the U.S. after nurse Clara Barton saw it used in France?
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During the Civil War, Clara Barton led quite an interesting life. Once a teacher, she went on to fight for women's rights, often getting President Lincoln to side with her. As the war intensified, she turned to nursing the wounded. After seeing the work of the Red Cross in Europe, she knew it was needed in the United States and began the first chapter.
18: The Civil War both started and ended in which calendar month?
Francis H. Schell
The Civil War started at Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, and it ended almost exactly four years later on April 9, 1865. During the first major land battle at Bull Run, 35,000 Union troops were sent to engage Confederate troops. During the last, General Lee surrendered to General Grant. The two rivals were so fond of one another, they never allowed anyone to speak negatively about the other.
19: What did Union forces gain control over at the Battle of Vicksburg?
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Confederate troops were defeated at the Battle of Vicksburg, and it resulted in the splitting of the Confederate states. The newly Union controlled Mississippi River gave the North a great advantage.
20: Who became president after Abraham Lincoln's assassination?
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Before becoming Lincoln's Vice President, Andrew Johnson served as Tennessee's military governor. After Lincoln's assassination, he stepped into the presidential role and served as president until 1869.
