The battle that proved to be a turning point of the Civil War was the battle of?

Question

A. Gettysburg
B. Chancellorsville
C. Antietam
D.Bull Run

Answer 1

If this is a school book question, the answer is most likely (A) Gettysburg. Why? Even though Lee and Meade's forces were essentially caught in a meat-grinder and it could be argued that this July 1863 battle led to a stalemate, Meade (and the Union) could replace the manpower lost at Gettysburg; Lee (and the Confederacy) could not. Also, this military success led to Lincoln's presentation of the Gettysburg Address, not well-received at the time, but a capsule summation of the Civil War's aims and an ironclad declaration that it would be fought to the finish.

I could make a good case for (C) Antietam fought a year earlier, when Lee also threatened to march on Washington and the Army of the Potomac under Burnside fought him back. This, while not an overwhelming military success, gave Lincoln the victory condition he needed to pronounce the Emancipation Proclamation.

Chancellorsville is known for the accidental death of Confederate general Stonewall Jackson, Lee's best corps commander. Bull Run (I'm guessing the reference here is to the First Battle of Bull Run) was the opening engagement between the Union and Confederacy which ended up becoming a rout for the unprepared Union forces.

Just be thankful that the question writer did not provide Vicksburg as an alternative choice; we could fight about that all day!

Answer 2

The standard answer is A. Gettysburg however as you will see all of the listed battles occured in the Eastern Theater of operations and ignores the devastating losses the confederates suffered in the Western Theater.

Perryville, KY on Oct. 8, 1862 ended Bragg's attempt to bring Kentucky into the confederacy. Lincoln viewed Kentucky as the linchpin holding the Union together.

The fall of Vicksburg, MS on July 4, 1863, the day after Gettysburg, gave the Union complete control of the Mississippi River. Lincoln said that "the father of waters flows unvexed to the sea" in celebrating this victory. This victory also allowed Grant to take command of all Union forces in the west and bring most of his troops to Tennessee and rescue the Army of the Cumberland at Chattanooga which then set up Sherman's capture of Atlanta, the March to the Sea and Carolinas campaign.

Gettysburg alone would not have accomplished so much and historians are now finally starting to give the Western Theater its due in the outcome of the war.

Answer 3

Daniella I think has it right.I have heard that strategically it was Vicksburg because it allowed the Union to control the Mississipi and essentially divide the Confederacy in half.The battle of Gettysburg was a morale booster for the Union. Because General Lee gambled and wanted to draw Union forces out of Virginia and win a battle on Union soil.But it just showed that the Confederate army was not strong enough to do so. And was on the run pretty much after that.

Answer 4

Arguments for all of the above could be made.
Gettysburg resulted in the Confederates losing all hope of foreign aid.
Chancellorsville resulted in the accedental loss of the greatest Confederate General,
Antietam was the bloodiest day of battle in american history, and also was the start of "total war" practices for the North.
Bull Run was the battle that made the north realise that the war could not be won by swift military action.

Answer 5

Most people would select Gettysburg, as that was the so-called high-water mark of the war. It was only in one theatre of the war tho. My pick is the Battle of Antietam, September 17, 1862 (BTW the bloodiest single day in American history).

It had 2 strategic consequences.....it marked the end of Robert E. Lee's invasion of the North. One of his goals was to entice the slave-holding state of Maryland to join the Confederacy. He failed in that objective.

He also failed in marshaling Northern fears and opinions to pressure a settlement to the war. But more strategically, George B. McClellan's victory was just convincing enough that Lincoln used it as justification for announcing his EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION.

Along with its immense effect on American history and race relations, the Emancipation Proclamation effectively prevented the British Empire from recognizing the Confederacy as a legitimate government. The British public had strong anti-slavery beliefs and would not have tolerated joining the side of a fight where slavery was now a prominent issue. Thus was removed one of the Confederacy's only hopes of surviving a lengthy war against the North's suffocating naval blockade.

Antietam and two other coincident failed actions—Braxton Bragg's invasion of Kentucky and Earl Van Dorn's advance against Corinth, Mississippi—represented the Confederacy's only attempt at coordinated strategic offensives in multiple theaters of war....THUS the real turning point of the war.

Answer 6

They want you to answer "A" but the real battle is Franklin, TN. It destroyed the Army of Tennessee and allowed the Union to concentrate on the Army of Northern Virginia. Of course the same thing could be said of Sharpsburg (Antietam-for you Yankees). It was the single bloodiest day of the war and the ANV never recovered. Pay attention put it down as extra credit. Good Luck. God Bless You and Our Southern People.

Answer 7

A. Gettysburg.

Answer 8

a. the battle of gettysburg

here's the link>>>>>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turning_point_of_the_American_Civil_War

Answer 9

a- GETTYSBURG do you need help with a test ? or your history ?

Answer 10

do ur own history hw