Union (American Civil War)

Quick Facts: Who was Union (American Civil War)?

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Union (American Civil War)

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The federal government of the United States resisting secession during the American Civil War (1861-1865).

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Origins & Early Life

The Union is a term used to refer to the federal government and loyal states of the United States during the American Civil War. Its military forces and civilian population resisted the secession of the Southern slave states that formed the Confederate States of America following the 1860 election of Abraham Lincoln as president of the United States. Lincoln's administration asserted the permanency of the federal government and the continuity of the United States Constitution, and it refused to recognize the Confederate government. Many Americans in the 19th century commonly used the term "the Union" to mean either the federal government of the United States or the unity of the states within the federal constitutional framework. The Union can also refer to the people or territory of the states that remained loyal to the national government during the war.

Career & Major Achievements

The loyal states located mostly north of the Mason–Dixon line were also known as the "North", although four southern border states and West Virginia, when it became a state during the war, remained loyal to the Union, and many Black Southerners (both free and enslaved) and Southern Unionists opposed secession and supported the Union war effort. The Northeast and Midwest provided the industrial resources for a mechanized war, producing large quantities of munitions and supplies and financing the war. They also provided a vast majority of the Union Army soldiers, food, horses, financial support, and training camps. Army hospitals and prison camps were also set up across the Union. Most Northern states had Republican governors who supported the war effort and suppressed anti-war subversion.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The Democratic Party supported the war at the beginning in 1861, but by 1862 it split into the War Democrats and the anti-war element known as Peace Democrats, led by the "Copperheads". The Democrats made major electoral gains in 1862 in state elections, most notably in New York. They lost ground in 1863, especially in Ohio. In 1864, the Republicans and War Democrats joined to campaign under the National Union Party banner, which also attracted most soldiers, and scored a landslide victory for Lincoln and his entire ticket against Democratic candidate George B. McClellan. The war years were quite prosperous except where serious fighting and guerrilla warfare ravaged the countryside.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1860: 1860 Milestone — Its military forces and civilian population resisted the secession of the Southern slave states that formed the Confederate States of America following the 1860 election of Abraham Lincoln as president of the United States.
2. 1861: 1861 Milestone — The Democratic Party supported the war at the beginning in 1861, but by 1862 it split into the War Democrats and the anti-war element known as Peace Democrats, led by the "Copperheads".
3. 1862: 1862 Milestone — The Democrats made major electoral gains in 1862 in state elections, most notably in New York.
4. 1863: 1863 Milestone — They lost ground in 1863, especially in Ohio.
5. 1864: 1864 Milestone — In 1864, the Republicans and War Democrats joined to campaign under the National Union Party banner, which also attracted most soldiers, and scored a landslide victory for Lincoln and his entire ticket against Democratic candidate George B.

Notable Quotes by Union (American Civil War)

“The thunderclap of Sumter produced a startling crystallization of Northern sentiment.... Anger swept the land.”

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Union (American Civil War)

True or False: “The term 'Union' was exclusively used by Confederate sympathizers to undermine the legitimacy of the United States government.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Before the Civil War, the phrase 'preserve the Union' was commonplace, and using 'Union' carried a connotation of legitimacy as the continuation of the pre-existing political entity.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abdülmecid I — Historical peer (Died in 1861) (1861): 31st Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, known for initiating the Tanzimat era of reform.
• Aleksey Yermolov — Historical peer (Died in 1861) (1861): Prominent Russian general known for service in the Napoleonic Wars and the Caucasian Campaign.
• A. P. Hill — Historical peer (Died in 1865) (1865): Confederate general who distinguished himself in the American Civil War.
• Abraham Isaac Kook — Historical peer (Born in 1865) (1865): Pioneering Orthodox Rabbi and Father of Religious Zionism.
• Aleksey Khomyakov — Historical peer (Died in 1860) (1860): Founding theoretician of the Slavophile movement in Russian philosophy.
• Alphonse Mucha — Historical peer (Born in 1860) (1860): Master of Art Nouveau, famed for decorative posters and The Slav Epic.
• Andrew Fisher — Historical peer (Born in 1862) (1862): Australian Labor Party leader and Prime Minister of Australia (1862–1928).
• Aristide Briand — Historical peer (Born in 1862) (1862): French statesman known for international reconciliation and peace efforts.
• Alexandre Yersin — Historical peer (Born in 1863) (1863): Pioneering Swiss-French physician and bacteriologist, renowned for plague and diphtheria research.
• Alfred de Vigny — Historical peer (Died in 1863) (1863): French poet and early Romanticist, known for his plays and novels.

Frequently Asked Questions about Union (American Civil War)