The Confederate’s fort at Vicksburg, Mississippi, was essential to the South, as it served as a key vantage point for them over the North. However, if the Union besieged this fort, the North would have control over the lower Mississippi River, which would split the South in half, cutting off the western half of the Confederacy from Virginia. With such an extreme advantage being given to the prevailing side, and the other a great defeat, the Battle of Vicksburg marks the true turning point of the…
During the 1960s, a series of life-changing events occurred in the United States. The Civil War between the North and the South resulted in many fatalities and destruction of property. One of our founding fathers, Abraham Lincoln, led the citizens of the U.S. towards freedom. His dedication and compassion encouraged his soldiers to stand against the tyrants that were attacking their nation. One of Lincoln’s famous speeches, the Gettysburg Address, was preached in honor of the Union soldiers…
“Daddy told me once why we got the names we do….Why he named us both. Lincoln and Booth….It was his idea of a joke” (Jacobus, 1650). Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog premiered on July 22, 2001 at the Joseph Papp Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival. This play centers around two brothers who have been forced to raise themselves within harsh living conditions. The older brother Lincoln’s quotation summarizes the entirety of the play because he and his brother have been set up for failure…
General William Tecumseh is a name that resonates with many different types of people for a variety of reasons. His Soldiers referred to him as “Uncle Billy”, because they loved, respected, and admired their Commander. The Northerners credit General William Sherman as the man that ended the Civil War and restored the Union. While the people of the South have an opposite and repugnant memory of the man, they blame for “scorching” the South. Despite personal opinions of General William Sherman,…
The Civil War’s conclusion was just but the beginning of a reconstruction period that while remained militaristically peaceful, had a long, arduous road of rebuilding the union. Rising out of poverty in the south, Andrew Johnson, took office following Lincoln’s assassination and now faced the seemingly insurmountable task of mending a split nation. However after Johnson 's continuation of Lincoln 's approach to reconstruction, consisting of lenient policy regarding the South and widespread…
There were high hopes for the Reconstruction era, after the civil war, in 1865. Throughout the eleven year Reconstruction era, newly freed African Americans had hopes of a better life with radical Republicans on their side. By the end of Reconstruction in 1876, the hope for African American equality had been lost. The goal of Reconstruction was to rebuild the south, reestablish the union, and rebuild southern society without slavery. However due to prejudice in the south and a lack of care from…
George Washington vs. Abraham Lincoln (A Comparison of Presidencies) Two of the most famous presidents in United States history are George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. These well known, and well respected presidents have a lot of similarities, but they also have quite a bit of differences. How they compare is very interesting, and very important, to our nation’s foundation. George Washington President Washington played an enormously important part in shaping the function of the job and…
Not for Admiration, but for Commemoration: Keeping the Confederate Statues Erect With less than one hundred years since it was established, the United States of America split gravely during the historical Civil War. Over the course of four long years, America witnessed the bloodiest battles fought on American soil. After the war was won by the Union and Reconstruction was in full swing, African Americans were given rights previously unavailable to them due to their status in the American social…
from banding together with the intention of violating citizens’ constitutional rights” and gave President Grant the authority to use the armed forces to enforce the Fifteenth Amendment. The two subsequent acts, the Enforcement Act of 1871 and the Ku Klux Klan, were meant to increase the efficacy of the first. They authorized federal scrutiny over state and local elections as well as allowing Grant to suspend habeas corpus in order to better deal with the KKK. As a result of these acts, freedmen…
The Battle of Gettysburg is perhaps the most famous battle ever to be fought on American soil. The three-day long struggle, which saw intense fighting that pitted friend against friend and brother against brother, holds a special place in the American psyche. In the span of three days in July of 1863 the entire tone of the American Civil changed from certain confederate victory, to an impending federal rout. What happened over this time span that caused the sudden shift in momentum during the…