This presentation is for Chapter 16 section 2.

2. Chapter Objectives
Section 2: Early Years of the War
• Identify Northern and Southern successes and
failures in the early years of the war. 
• Explain how the North’s naval blockade hurt the
South.
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3. Why It Matters
The Civil War–a war in which Americans
fought other Americans–transformed the United
States. It shattered the economy
of the South while contributing to the rapid
economic growth of the North and the West.
African Americans gained freedom when
slavery was abolished, but the war left a legacy
of bitterness between North and South that
lasted for generations.

4. The Impact Today
Key events during this era still shape our lives
today. For example: 
• The institution of slavery was abolished. 
• The war established the power of the
federal government over the states.
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5. Guide to Reading
Main Idea
Neither the Union nor the Confederate forces gained
a strong advantage during the early years of the war.

Key Terms
• blockade runner 
• ironclad 
• casualty
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6. First Battle of Bull Run
• The first major battle of the Civil War was
called the First Battle of Bull Run. 
• It was fought in northern Virginia near a river
called Bull Run. 
• The Confederates were victorious. 
• Union troops attacked Confederate forces led
by General P.G.T. Beauregard. 
• Next, the Rebels rallied under General
Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson’s reinforcement
troops and counterattacked the Yankees.
(pages 466–467)
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7. First Battle of Bull Run (cont.)
• Then, the Union army retreated back to
Washington, D.C., first in an orderly fashion
and then in a panic. 
• The Confederate victory shocked the North. 
• Northerners realized that the war could be a
long, hard, and costly one. 
• Abraham Lincoln signed two bills requesting
a total of one million army volunteers to
serve for three years. 
• He also appointed General George B.
McClellan to head the Union army of the
East called the Army of the Potomac.
(pages 466–467)
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8. War in the East
• The war in the East was not as successful for
the Union. 
• The Union’s goal of capturing the Confederate
capital of Richmond, Virginia, was never met.

• The Southern strategy of making the North
tired of fighting seemed to be working. 
- General McClellan did not act promptly on Lincoln’s
orders to advance directly to Richmond.
(pages 469–472)
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9. War in the East (cont.)
• Richmond was never captured, and the
Confederates were only 20 miles away from
Washington, D.C. 
- McClellan’s army was pushed back, but it was larger
than Lee’s and still close to Richmond. 
- When McClellan did not renew his attack toward
Richmond, Lincoln ordered him to Northern
Virginia to join Major General John Pope’s troops.
(pages 469–472)
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10. War in the East (cont.)
- Stonewall Jackson’s troops met Lee’s army and
were attacked by Pope’s troops on August 29 at
Bull Run. 
- The Second Battle of Bull Run was won by the
Confederacy.
(pages 469–472)
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11. War in the East (cont.)
• Another major battle, the Battle of Antietam,
occurred on September 17. 
• Both armies suffered severe losses, but neither
was destroyed. 
• General Lee withdrew to Virginia, so the
Union claimed victory. 
• Additionally Lincoln used the battle to change
Northern war aims and take action against
slavery.
(pages 469–472)
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12. War in the East (cont.)
- Lee’s army marched into Maryland in September
1862, and McClellan with his 80,000 troops moved
slowly after them. 
- After a McClellan soldier found a copy of Lee’s
orders, McClellan knew Lee’s plans, but because he
was so cautious and acted so slowly, Lee was able to
gather his forces along the Antietam Creek. 
- September 17, the bloodiest day of the war, saw
close to 6,000 soldiers dead or dying and another
17,000 seriously wounded.
(pages 469–472)
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13. War in the East (cont.)
- The next day Lee withdrew. 
- When McClellan refused to obey Lincoln’s order to
pursue Lee, Lincoln replaced McClellan with
General Ambrose Burnside as commander of the
Army of the Potomac.
(pages 469–472)
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