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Teacher's Guide for COBBLESTONE ® The Navy in the Civil WarTeacher's Guide prepared by: Leslie Anderson Morales. During the Persian Gulf War in the early 1990s, General Colin Powell said that the Allies would "cut off its head [the enemy's armed forces], then we're going to kill it." Union Major General Winfield Scott's strategy for the Northern troops became known as the Anaconda Plan. Why do you think this type of metaphor catches on with the general public?Major General Winfield Scott had a strategy that was based on psychological and armed warfare: convince the South that its fight was hopeless. If the Union could control the Southern coastline and its rivers, it could cut the Confederacy in half and literally starve it out. It could also minimize bloodshed and take advantage of the fact the Confederate Navy was tiny in comparison. Why do you think this proposal met with resistance?Confederate vessels that broke the lines of the Union blockade were called blockade runners. They did not do battle; they did business. A person (or company) owning such a vessel could become quite wealthy. When they returned to port, they could sell their goods at inflated prices. What nations purchased the South's cotton and tobacco?Southern vessels engaged in running the blockade used deception. They sailed under the flags of other nations. When these armed ships came upon Union vessels, they seized the cargo, captured crew and passengers (if they had room on board), and burned the ship. Imagine that you are a crew member (or passenger) upon a Union commercial vessel that is captured by a Confederate raider. Write a few paragraphs about your experience.About 18,000 African Americans - including more than a dozen women - enlisted in the Union Navy. Many signed up at places like Cairo, IL, and Port Royal, SC. Others joined in Boston and New York City. Overall, the number of former slaves who enlisted greatly outnumbered free men of color. Important Note: a number of slaves who had escaped to Canada returned to America and enlisted! What kinds of skills would they have brought with them?To ensure the blockade's success, the Union navy needed naval bases on the Southern coast. Explalin why naval bases are important.Rivers provided routes into the heart of the South and therefore conflicts on the inland waterways helped shape the war. The Mississippi River runs from north-to-south. The Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers flow east-to-west. How did geography play a role in the South's defeat on the rivers?Compare and contrast naval battles on the rivers with coastline warfare. Consider how the types of vessels affected battle tactics. Submarines were still considered experimental during the Civil War. Even today, serving on an underwater craft is extremely hazardous duty. Why do you think someone would choose to be a submariner?The USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia (formerly the USS Merrimac) battled for about three hours. Many historians consider the battle a draw. After its first battle, Confederate sailors destroyed the Virginia. Why do you think it was important to them that they sink the ship? |
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