Which side did General Robert E. Lee command during the Civil War?
A. Union
B. Confederacy
C. The British
B. Confederacy
Robert E. Lee's decision to join the Confederacy in 1861 marked a pivotal moment in American history. Despite his personal opposition to secession and his dedication to the United States, having served 32 years in the U.S. Army, Lee chose to side with his home state of Virginia when it seceded. He declined an offer from President Lincoln to command Union forces, stating he could not draw his sword against his native state.
What event marked the beginning of the Civil War in 1861?
A. Antietam
B. Lincoln getting elected
C. Attack on Fort Sumter
C. Attack on Fort Sumter
The Attack on Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, marked the beginning of the American Civil War. Located in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, the federal fort became a flashpoint of tension after South Carolina's secession. Confederate forces, led by General P.G.T. Beauregard, demanded the surrender of the Union garrison commanded by Major Robert Anderson. When Anderson refused, Confederate artillery opened fire at 4:30 AM, bombarding the fort for 34 hours.
Who was the President of the Confederacy during the Civil War?
A. Thomas Jefferson
B. Jefferson Davis
C. Andrew Milton
B. Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis served as the first and only President of the Confederate States of America from 1861 to 1865. Before the Civil War, he was a Mexican War hero, U.S. Senator from Mississippi, and Secretary of War under President Franklin Pierce. Despite his initial reluctance toward secession, Davis was chosen as Confederate President due to his combination of military experience and political leadership.
Which technological innovation was widely used for the first time during the Civil War to communicate orders and intelligence?
A. Postal service
B. Carrier pigeons
C. Telegraph
C. Telegraph
The Civil War marked the first major military conflict where the telegraph played a crucial role in battlefield communications and strategy. Before the war, nearly 50,000 miles of telegraph wire spanned the United States, revolutionizing the speed at which information could travel. The Union held a significant advantage in telegraph infrastructure and expertise, which proved instrumental in their eventual victory.
What nickname was given to female spies who played a crucial role in gathering intelligence during the Civil War?
A) Night Watchers
B) She-Scouts
C) Petticoat Spies
C) Petticoat Spies
The Civil War saw unprecedented involvement of women in espionage activities, with both the Union and Confederacy leveraging society's assumptions about women's roles to gather critical intelligence. These "petticoat spies" exploited the Victorian notion that ladies were above suspicion, allowing them to move between lines and gather information in ways their male counterparts could not.
