A History of the United States: Chapter 17: The Civil War

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. strategy
    an elaborate and systematic plan of action
    The border states remained vital to the strategy of the Union.
  2. contrast
    the opposition or dissimilarity of things that are compared
    In contrast, the North wanted to restore the Union.
  3. enlist
    join the military
    Men of all ages rushed to enlist in, or join, the Union or Confederate army.
  4. tributary
    a branch that flows into the main stream
    In the West, the major Union goal was to control the Mississippi River and its tributaries, the smaller rivers that fed it.
  5. abandon
    forsake; leave behind
    The Merrimack was a damaged frigate that had been abandoned by the Union.
  6. ironclad
    a wooden warship of the 19th century plated with armor
    They renamed their new ironclad the Virginia.
  7. reinforce
    make stronger
    Confederate leaders decided to strike before more troops arrived to reinforce the Union.
  8. casualty
    someone injured or killed in a military engagement
    Together, the two armies suffered more than 23,000 casualties—people killed, wounded, captured, or missing.
  9. emancipation
    freeing someone from the control of another
    On September 22, 1862, Lincoln announced that he would issue the Emancipation Proclamation. This decree freed all enslaved people in rebel territory on January 1, 1863.
  10. distribute
    give to several people
    Volunteers distributed bread and soup to the wounded.
  11. habeas corpus
    the right to a writ protecting against illegal imprisonment
    As a way of dealing with war opponents in the North, President Lincoln suspended habeas corpus—a legal process that helps ensure the government has a legal right to keep someone in jail.
  12. draft
    compulsory military service
    In 1862 the Confederate Congress passed a draft, which required able-bodied white men between ages 18 and 35 to serve for three years.
  13. substitute
    a person or thing that can take the place of another
    A man with enough money could hire a substitute to serve for him.
  14. bounty
    payment or reward for acts such as catching criminals
    At first, the North offered a bounty, or a sum of money, to encourage volunteers.
  15. greenback
    a piece of paper money; a U.S. dollar
    Northern bills became known as greenbacks because of their color.
  16. entrenched
    dug in
    Lee’s entrenched troops drove them back with heavy losses.
  17. flank
    the side of military or naval formation
    Jackson’s army surprised the Union force with a crushing attack on its flank, or side.
  18. reverse
    switch the position, order, or relation of
    Many African Americans were eager to fight. As a result, Congress decided to reverse past policy and allow the formation of all–African American regiments.
  19. encounter
    contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle
    It was there, however, that he encountered the enemy.
  20. series
    similar things placed in order or one after another
    In May and June of 1864, Grant's army confronted Lee's smaller force in a series of three battles near Richmond, Virginia.
  21. resistance
    the military action of combating the enemy's advance
    Hood's forces put up major resistance. Sherman laid siege, finally forcing Hood to abandon the city on September 1.
  22. interpret
    make sense of; assign a meaning to
    Many interpreted Lincoln's reelection as a clear sign from the voters: They wanted a permanent end to slavery.
Created on Mon Jun 14 16:26:44 EDT 2021 (updated Fri Jun 18 10:40:48 EDT 2021)

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