Lesson 6: The War’s End

Key Idea

The summer of 1863 marked the turning point of the Civil War. In early July, the Union army won two critical victories in different parts of the country. These wins decisively shifted the war's momentum in the Union's favor.

In the West, General Grant’s army won the Siege of Vicksburg, giving the Union control of the entire Mississippi River and splitting the Confederacy in two. At the same time, Union forces defeated General Lee at the Battle of Gettysburg in the East. These simultaneous losses crippled the Confederacy's military and strategic power.

Key Idea

The Civil War was a conflict over two different ideas of the nation. Confederate President Jefferson Davis argued that the United States was a voluntary agreement between states. He believed states had the right to secede, or leave the Union, to protect their institutions, especially slavery.

In contrast, President Abraham Lincoln believed the Union was permanent and could not be broken. He argued that the nation was formed by all its people, not just the states. For Lincoln, the war was a fight to preserve one unified nation dedicated to the principle of liberty for all.

Key Idea

Months after the battle, President Abraham Lincoln visited Gettysburg to dedicate a cemetery for the fallen soldiers. His short speech, known as the Gettysburg Address, would become one of the most famous in American history.

Lincoln declared that the war was a test of whether a nation founded on liberty could survive. He redefined the conflict's goal, stating it was a struggle for a "new birth of freedom." This gave the war a powerful moral purpose beyond just preserving the Union.

Key Idea

In March 1864, President Lincoln put Ulysses S. Grant in command of all Union armies. Lincoln needed a general who would fight aggressively to finally end the war.

Grant introduced a new strategy of "total war." This meant attacking the Confederacy's ability to fight, not just its soldiers. Union armies targeted the South's resources by destroying farms, railroads, and factories to cut off supplies and break civilian morale.