With the surrender at Vicksburg, the Union army fully controlled the Mississippi River and successfully cut the Confederacy in half. Two days later, Lee suffered a crushing defeat in his second invasion into Union territory at the Battle of

After the election of 1860, the lower South seceded from the Union because this man was not even on the ballot in most southern states, carried only northern states, and won with 39% of the popular vote.

The Union strategy, developed by Winfield Scott, called for an army to defend Washington D.C. and put pressure on Richmond, a blockade of southern ports, and an invasion of the South via the Mississippi, Tennessee, and Cumberland Rivers.

One other recommendation for settling the argument over the Mexican territory included

John C. Calhoun objected to Congressional interference in the spread of slavery on the grounds that

Why was the United States hesitant to annex Texas after they won their independence?

Cotton became king in the southern states and most went to England. Thus, British attempts to find new sources of cotton was a major factor in the lead up to

Who organized and led military forces in Texas and eventually oversaw Texan independence?

Eli Whitney’s cotton gin made cotton the most lucrative cash crop in history

Free men of color were captured and sold into slavery despite being born free.