LEARN NC

Introduction

The Civil War is considered by many historians to be the single most important event in the history of the United States. More than six hundred thousand men died of wounds received in battle or of disease contracted in army camps, and millions more men, women, and children endured tremendous hardships. Four million Americans were enslaved in 1861; four years later all were freed. As they gained their freedom, a society and an economy based on their bondage had to change. The war effort, along with a period of unchecked Republican rule, spurred the growth of industry, railroads, and cities — growth that would soon transform parts of the South as well.

North Carolina left the Union reluctantly, the last state to secede. Yet North Carolina contributed as much as any state to the war effort — soldiers, money, and supplies. The port of Wilmington, kept open by blockade runners who dodged Union ships and dangerous shoals, and the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad brought desperately needed supplies to Confederate troops and became known as the “lifeline of the Confederacy.” Those at home faced shortages of food, the shame of Union occupation, and the chaos of a local civil war between Unionists and supporters of the Confederacy.

With the arrival of Union troops and the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, African American slaves found themselves suddenly free. Thousands fled to Union lines; many joined the Union army and fought for freedom. After the war they reunited families split up by slave traders, legalized their marriages, learned to read and write, and organized to defend their new rights. But freedom turned out to be as hard to keep as to win. When Union soldiers left the South in the 1870s, white Conservatives regained power and found new ways to limit blacks’ political and economic opportunities. Slavery was ended once and for all; the rest would follow more slowly than anyone imagined.

A note about sources

Many of the primary sources in this section of the digital textbook address slavery, and some deal with difficult or unpleasant issues, including physical brutality. In addition, some of the historical documents include racist language and demeaning stereotypes. These documents are included to provide an accurate picture of the past. In all cases, the “As you read” section in the sidebar will provide background and guidance to help you learn from them.

Key questions

As in the rest of this digital textbook, you’ll have the opportunity to explore the experiences of various people firsthand, through a variety of primary sources — letters, diaries, memoirs, oral histories, newspaper editorials, poetry and music, maps, photographs, data, and video of reenactments. From these raw materials and background readings, you’ll answer questions like these:

  • Why did North Carolina secede from the Union?
  • What did North Carolinians contributed to the war effort — on both sides?
  • What was life like for soldiers — and for people at home?
  • What was life like for freed people, and how did they respond to freedom?
  • Why did the North win the war?
  • How did the North try to “reconstruct” the South, and how successful was this Reconstruction?