Confederate States Facts & Worksheets

• The Confederacy also suffered significant defeats, such as the Battle of Gettysburg and Siege of Vicksburg in 1863.
  • The Battle of Gettysburg (1–3 July 1863)

  This battle was fought near the small town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Confederate General Lee led his Army of Northern Virginia into Pennsylvania, hoping to win a victory on Northern soil. However, he met a determined Union army, the Army of the Potomac, now under the command of General George Meade. The battle raged for three days, culminating in a disastrous charge by Confederate forces against the Union centre. The Confederate assault resulted in heavy losses, effectively ending Lee's invasion of the North.

  • The Siege of Vicksburg (18 May–4 July 1863)

  Vicksburg, Mississippi, was a vital city on the Mississippi River. Its capture would give the Union control of the entire river, effectively splitting the Confederacy in two. Union forces, under the command of General Ulysses S. Grant, laid siege to the city, bombarding it relentlessly and cutting off its supply lines. General John C. Pemberton led the Confederate defenders, who held out for more than six weeks before finally giving up.

• Despite its early successes, the Confederacy faced significant challenges that led to its defeat in the war. These included a shortage of soldiers due to a smaller population than the Union, shortages of weapons, ammunition and other essential supplies due to the South's limited industrial capacity, and logistical problems transporting troops and supplies due to limited infrastructure and the Union's control of major waterways. Additionally, political disagreements and tensions between states' rights advocates and those who favoured a strong central government hindered the Confederacy's war effort.

Life in the Confederacy During the War

• As the Civil War raged on, the day-to-day lives of those in the Confederate States were affected by the conflict.
• The Union blockade, coupled with the South's limited industrial capacity, resulted in shortages of essential goods, including food, clothing, medicine and military supplies. This scarcity led to inflation and a decline in Confederate currency, causing hardship for ordinary citizens.
• With men absent on the battlefronts, women assumed new responsibilities, managing farms and plantations, running businesses, and working in factories and hospitals. This wartime necessity challenged traditional Southern societal roles.
• For enslaved people, the war presented a double-edged sword. While some were coerced into supporting the Confederate army, many saw the conflict as a chance for liberation, with thousands escaping to Union lines to fight for freedom.
• Despite a shared commitment to the Confederate cause, internal divisions troubled the South. Opposition to the draft, economic hardship, and increasingly authoritarian policies created anti-war sentiment. Additionally, the Confederacy's decentralised structure, prioritising states' rights, hindered its ability to effectively wage war.

Legacy of the Confederacy

Reconstruction and its Aftermath

• Following the Civil War, the period known as Reconstruction saw the country strive to rebuild itself through federal policies aimed at integrating the former Confederate states back into the Union and ensuring the rights of newly freed African-Americans. However, Reconstruction ultimately failed to deliver on its promise of racial equality.
• White Southerners, resentful of federal intervention and determined to maintain white supremacy, enacted Black Codes and later Jim Crow laws. These laws enforced segregation, disenfranchisement and economic exploitation of African-Americans, creating a system of racial apartheid that persisted for decades.
• The disputed presidential election of 1877 led to a political compromise that effectively ended Reconstruction. Federal troops were withdrawn from the South, leaving African-Americans vulnerable to violence and intimidation from white supremacist groups like the Ku Klux Klan.

Lost Cause Mythology

• In the decades following the Civil War, a romanticised and distorted view of the Confederacy, known as the 'Lost Cause' mythology, emerged. This narrative sought to minimise the centrality of slavery to the Confederate cause, portraying the war as a noble struggle for states' rights and Southern independence.
• The Lost Cause mythology was propagated through textbooks, literature, and the erection of Confederate monuments and memorials across the South. These monuments, placed prominently in public squares and government buildings, served to glorify Confederate leaders and perpetuate a sanitised version of history.
• The Lost Cause narrative resonated with white Southerners seeking to reconcile their regional identity with the shame of defeat and the legacy of slavery. It provided a way to honour their ancestors without confronting the full truth of their cause.

Confederate Flag and Symbols in Modern America

• The original Confederate battle flag, with its distinctive star-crossed design, evolved from a battlefield emblem to a symbol of Southern pride and resistance, particularly during the Civil Rights Movement. Its association with segregation, white supremacy and racial terror continues to fuel calls for its removal from public spaces.
• Opponents of removing Confederate symbols often frame their arguments around preserving history and heritage. They argue that these symbols should remain in place as reminders of the past, even if that past is uncomfortable. However, critics argue that public spaces should celebrate unity and inclusivity, not symbols of division and hate.

Enduring Legacy of Slavery and Racial Inequality

• The Confederacy's legacy continues to impact the United States, as it is inextricably linked to the enduring legacy of slavery and systemic racism. The racist ideologies that fuelled the Confederacy persisted in the Jim Crow South after the war. Reconstruction efforts to establish equality were undermined by white resistance, leading to the establishment of segregation and discrimination in the law.
• This legacy manifests most obviously in the systemic inequalities that pervade American society. Black Americans face significant challenges across many areas of life, including the racial wealth gap, unequal access to quality education and healthcare, and the overrepresentation of Black individuals in the criminal justice system. These disparities show how historical injustices still affect the present, where true equality is yet to be achieved.