Theme Teams: Culture in The Civil War

Mathew Brady Photography

Culture during the Civil War was directly shaped by the war effort meaning the numerous battles, the horrific affects inflicted onto the South, and the ways soldiers lived while fighting the Confederate enemy. Seeing as most of the soldiers on both sides were always facing consistent hardship and deprivation, music was a way of distracting themselves away from the war. Most of the soldiers would sing and play musical instruments creating the patriotic marches and the sad ballads which became a legacy of the war. Before 1862 volunteers usually consisted of a regimental band but when those bands slowly

Yankee Doodle Dandy Performance

became too unwieldy they were ultimately dismissed. But sometimes few bands survived or were replaced by brigade bands who would serve to a larger number of soldiers. Whether music was played by these bands or sung by soldiers themselves typically accompanied by banjo, fiddle, and harmonica, popular songs ranged from the patriotic melodies meant to rally the troops or to the ballads which expressed their yearnings for home. Among the Union troops favored old favorites like "Yankee Doodle Dandy" or "The Star-Spangled Banner" whilst the Confederate troops liked "Dixie," "When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again," or "The Yellow Rose of Texas." In

Harper's Weekly

addition to the military music, southern slaves singing spirituals dedicated towards emancipation would eventually enter America's music culture as well. Newspapers like Harper's Weekly also affected the culture during the Civil War, newspapers were widely distributed than ever before which helped shape the public's wartime experience

Mathew Brady Photography

to a higher extent than any previous conflict. Reporters would often travel with the armies gaining first hand coverage which was sent back through dispatches while soldiers would write letters to their local newspapers back home. Noting that these newspapers circulated all over the country, the newspapers also began to incorporate political cartoons into the articles which talked about controversial leaders, the celebration of victories, and cementing the blame for defeats. These cartoons ended up becoming a integral part of how many Americans processed the events of the war. Also the Civil War was the first major conflict which was extensively photographed in history, allowing the horrific imagery to be brought home to urban centers of the North. Photographers would also travel to military camps much like news reporters and onto the battle field to catch glimpses of wartime life and death.One of the most well-noted photographers was named Mathew Brady who built a successful career before the war decided to make a full record of the war. He hired and supervised several other photographers who took pictures for him but refused to give them individual credit on the photos they took. He did get behind the camera notably at the Battle of Bull Run, Gettysburg, and Antietam. And in 1862 when his photos were displayed, it gave many urban northerners the scoop on the war's true carnage. But photos by Brady and other photographers were widely distributed and reproduced, bringing that terrible reality home for viewers in America and across the globe. Culture specifically photography, newspapers, and music were all affected by the Civil War making this era the first public wartime experience for everyone across the country and across the globe.

Annotated Bibliography: Lincoln

Lincoln, Abraham. "The Gettysburg Address." Battle of Gettysburg: Gettysburg, VA. 19 Nov. 1863.

In the Gettysburg Address given on November 19th, 1863 Abraham Lincoln delivers a two minute speech discussing the ways people fought for different causes during the Civil War. And those same causes changed over the course of the war for these people. Lincoln knows that his speech will not be long remembered but we as the people must be devoted to finish the work all of these men have died for. Those remaining must work harder as a way to dedicate them after sacrificing their lives for this war effort. And then at last the country would have a new birth of freedom as a Union once again.

Lincoln, Abraham. "Second Inaugural Address." White House, Washington DC. 1865. Address.

In Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address, he recalls the major causes of the war and vows that he will fight for the restoration of peace and unity. He brings up that the Northern states wished to prohibit slavery in certain places where there were chances of a new state developing while Southern states were dedicated to expand slavery and greatly feared that the prohibition would threaten slavery where it already existed. Despite the facts that the Union began to inch closer to victory, Lincoln wanted to urge the people to care for one another and work for a lasting, just peace. 

Both of these addresses, brings up incredibly important facts about what Lincoln wished for during the Civil War and what he envisioned for the country afterwards. In the Gettysburg Address it was clear that Lincoln would fight until the very end, he was dedicated to become victorious not only for those deceased but also for creating a new freedom for the country. While his Second Inaugural Address speaks to what he hopes for: a country with no slavery and a country in peace, for good. The addresses extend each other, they both contrast what Lincoln wanted either in the middle of the war and near the end of the war. Its obvious that Lincoln would fight to the very end (Gettysburg Address) until the country would finally be at peace not only as a whole but between its citizens as well (Second Inaugural Address). But the addresses also extend his First Inaugural Address where he clearly spoke about keeping the country at peace without the expansion of slavery and tensions between the citizens. 

The two excerpts are helpful in our study of the Civil War based on how it gives evidence to say that Lincoln himself ended slavery and to help explain why Lincoln wanted to fight in the war. But the addresses are limited because there are several other speeches and primary sources Lincoln created to display what exactly his stance was during the Civil War. And in order to fully develop a claim about Lincoln's belief and stance in the Civil War, we need a variety of sources (speeches, excerpts, primary sources, addresses) as a way to avoid any loop holes inside of one's claim.

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Culture: The Antebellum Era

Anti-slavery Image

William Lloyd Garrison's Newspaper

Throughout the Antebellum Era, most of America's culture surrounded around race, class, and the growing sectional problems across the country. Culture focused around the main issues in politics and those within society, whether it be free blacks in their pursuit of abolition or would it be the Irish who were considered to be inferior to the British (apparently the Irish descendants of the Celtic were barbaric). According to Dr. Robert Knox of the Edinburgh College of Surgeons in his 1850 study published in Philadelphia, "Race is everything, literature, science, art, in a word, civilization, depends on it." His words directly addressed the Antebellum Era, literature and the arts depended on the racial struggles in society, it allowed the entertainment to expand into a mocking of sorts. The Black-face Minstrel show for example, mocked the African American community. White men (often Irish) blacked their faces and entertained audiences with songs, dances, theatrical skits, and anti black political jokes. The show contained cruel stereotypes which included a irresponsible free black man, and a slow-witted slave which entertained white audiences across the border. Race took on another role in society when the support of abolition started to rise within several northern and western communities. But abolitionism did have an affect on culture, several whites began to become involved in the cause by writing anti-slavery newspapers like William Lloyd Garrison, which spread across the country even to the South where he received multiple enemies particularly Southerners who took part in the slave trade and plantations. There were also many types of antislavery images which included a engraving of a chained female slave (made by Patrick Reason who was a black artist), this image spoke directly to white, female abolitionists that were just beginning to join the antislavery movements in the 1830's. Despite the affect racism and abolitionism had on culture, there were multiple pass-times that sprung up throughout the Antebellum Era. One of them coming from Urban Popular culture: Taverns. Taverns which served as the neighborhood centers of drink and sociability, were also frequents centers of brawls and riots. Community groups such as fire engine companies which had once included men of all social classes now attracted the young and the rough who had begun to form gangs, where they defended their turf against others. Some trades such as butchery were notorious for starting fights in taverns. Culture during the Antebellum Era surrounded the ideas of race and abolitionism, newspapers, religions, plays, theaters, even places of social gathering were affected by these ideas to the point where it caused violence and extreme tension between the classes leading up to the Civil War.

Annotated Bibliography: Manifest Destiny

O'Sullivan, John. "Editorial on Manifest Destiny, Excerpted from "Annexation"" The United States Magazine and Democratic Review 17 July 1845: n. pag. Print.

In this editorial written by John L. O'Sullivan, he speaks on his commendation of the addition of Texas to the Union and to hopefully look further west to California as a site of future expansion. He believes that there is no notion to say annexation is a great pro-slavery measure, it is not calculated to increase and perpetuate slavery. Although O'Sullivan denied claims that Texas had anything to do with the expansion of slavery, the westward expansion fueled those sectional tensions that led to the civil war.

Thoreau, Henry David. ""On the Duty of Civil Disobedience,"" Aesthetic Papers 2 May 1849: n. pag. Print.

Henry David Thoreau wrote a doctrine of "civil disobedience" which was the non violent refusal obey to unjust laws, that had inspired leaders around the world such as Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  His ideas had sprung up during his stay at Walden Pond near Concord, Massachusetts; it was there where he spent a night in jail in his refusal to pay taxes. His withheld payment was formed because he did not feel like he could support the government which endorsed slavery and was waging an unjust war against Mexico. Thoreau questions the existing unjust laws: would we obey until we succeed or would we amend those laws and immediately transgress them? Until the day comes where any subject denies allegiance and when any public officer resigns from office, then the revolution has finally been accomplished.

The two sources contest each other, as O'Sullivan describes the advantages of adding Texas to the Union, Thoreau explains how civil disobedience could eventually stop such unjust governmental actions. The annexation of Texas included an unjust war which the United States had waged against Mexico. O'Sullivan is a supporter of the idea of Manifest Destiny which is a phrase used by leaders and politicians in the 1840s to explain expansionism and is another term used to support Nationalism. Although Thoreau is a deep believer of civil disobedience (after all he created the ideal), there is some notion where you could say he opposed the Manifest Destiny. He thought the expansion of Texas was unjust based on the fact that the country which is overrun is not our own, Mexico had been conquered by a foreign army and is subjected to military law, and that foreign army is our own.

These documents could be used in our study of the Manifest Destiny because they both provide opinions on the annexation of Texas. We could use the doctrine of civil disobedience to see how the opposing side of the country felt about that annexation and how their beliefs could be used to stop the unjust laws of the government. And we would use O'Sullivan's editorial to explain how the supporters of the annexation felt and how they look to future expansion to California. But in order to fully understand the concept we would need breadth, in another number of sources with other opinions.

Annotated Bibliography: Indian Removal

Faragher, John Mack. Out of Many: A History of the American People. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2006. Print.

The Indian Removal Act was President Andrew Jackson's measure that allowed states to override federal protection of Native Americans, and funded the appropriated amounts for relocation. This act caused plenty of tensions between the regional parts of the United States of America and between the president and the Native Americans. The President solely represented the Southern and Western perspective as the North opposed these actions with protests primarily from Protestant Missionaries. Female protesters had raised money for missionaries who would assimilate the Native Americans instead of relocating them elsewhere, it was the first national female petition drive. But there was an unconstitutional underlining with the Indian Removal Act, allowing Native Americans to face there deaths such as the Trail of Tears that mainly consisted of Cherokee deaths. It had displayed the unfair majority rule when such minority sections were not strong enough to defend themselves and fight for a compromise.

"Worcester v. The State of Georgia," Reports of Cases Argued and Adjudged in the Supreme Court of the United States. January Term 1832. Vol. VI. Richard Peters, ed. (Philadelphia: T. Desilver, Jr., 1832), 556-567 , 561.

As the state of Georgia began to forcibly remove Native Cherokees from their lands, the tribe went to the Supreme Court for a case and some assistance within this issue they faced. Despite the ruling from the Supreme Court, President Andrew Jackson continued to allow the state of Georgia to remove the Native Americans. It brought up the idea of Judicial Rule, where the Supreme Court had the right to claim if a law was unconstitutional where the other two branches had to listen to that ruling among the case they were discussing at the time of crisis. Because of past relations with Native tribes with acts of regulating trade and intercourse, it seemed that the United States had treated those Native Americans as sovereign nations meaning that they were never apart of this country or any state within the country.

 These two sources extend each other, the Out Of Many explained the gist of what happened during the Indian Removal but the Worcester v. Georgia case was a specific problem within the time of Indian Removal. Out Of Many outlines all of the problems and provides clear, simple information such as the regional resistance in the North and the female protesters among with the violations the Federal government committed against the Native Americans in order to move them onto other lands. But the Supreme Court outlined the explanation of why the Natives should've been allowed to stay in those lands; the American people have been treating them as people from another nation not as another citizen from other states with acts speaking on regulation of trade and intercourse. It also provides some evidence that President Andrew Jackson's Indian Removal Act was unconstitutional, the government is ordered to protect the property, prosperity, and liberty of its people along with those who reside in our territories. The law went against those liberties and properties by forcing the Indians out of their own settlements and homes, also it allowed the state of Georgia to commit nullification which could potentially disable the national unity Jacksonians wanted to preserve.

 Both of these sources help us with our study because obviously parts of the reading will be put on the unit test along with specific events like the Trail of Tears and the Black Hawk War. The Supreme Court case helps us with evidence against the Jacksonians with the potential disbandment of the union based on the state right to override Federal protection which could be considered nullification. But despite those reasons, it could be a bit too one-sided meaning that we should find more primary sources and secondary sources that hold more opinions and thoughts on this topic of Indian Removal.

Annotated Bibliogrpahy: American Democracy

 Takaki, Ronald T. A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America. New York: Back Bay /Little, Brown, and, 2008. Print.

 In A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America, Ronald Takaki talks about the republican vision of America and how it helped shape the American Economy. Because the war for political independence secure economic freedom for America: it included the freedom to convert Indian lands into new American Territories, to trade wherever and with whomever they choose to, and just in general to expand the market like they've always wished to. Money had become the center of social relations, and as time continues to pass by the economy transforms with the new technology and the new people who have emigrated to America. Each region has it's own type of staple, that in all help shape the other types of commerce across the country to protect the economy based from those products. Because of the fact that America was becoming a country of vast cultures and peoples, many questions and concerns arose about preserving the racial homogeneity in multicultural America.

De Tocqueville, Alexis. Democracy in America. N.p.: n.p., 1835. Print.

Alexis de Tocqueville was a French noble who spent nine months in America who wrote the two volume study of democracy in America. The general equality of condition among the people was what shocked him the most, that equality creates opinions, gives birth to new ideas, finds customs, and modifies whatever it doesn't produce. America is the image of democracy itself, and in order to learn how to adapt to democracy we shall either use fear or to hope from its progress.

These two articles support and extend each other. Democracy in America is the main story behind democracy and the general explanation of how democracy had effected America. But A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America goes in depth on the affect of democracy and republicanism ideals. Republicanism has allowed America to improve its economy as Democracy helped stage America on the international stance as the image of democracy. With its new political freedom, the economy was able to expand and change throughout the years America has existed. But the government stood as a firm image of using the art of the purse of common desires and applying the new science of democracy to the greatest number of purposes. Although both of these articles share a similar opinion, they could always contradict each other based on its opposing sides of democracy and republicanism. Also these articles were potentially confusing if the student did not take a close-read in order to fully understand and take in what message the author was trying to convey about the American government and it's economy.

Theme Teams: The New Republic - Culture

George Washington

Star-Spangled Banner

  During the New Republic, culture advanced along the subject of two themes: politics and warfare. Paintings were created from the multiple wars that occurred during the five presidencies we have studied. The most popular painters of the New Republic were Benjamin West, Gilbert Stuart, and John Trumball. Benjamin West focused more on portraits and historical scenes, his most celebrated painting was the "Death of General Wolfe" created in 1770 which helped elevate America on an international level. Gilbert Stuart was a student of West and another famous artist named Copley, he mostly painted portraits. He had not only painted a famous Mohawk chief with the American name of Joesph Brant (1786) but had also painted the largely celebrated and famous portrait of George Washington (1792) that is displayed in the White House today. John Trumball was a soldier in the Continental Army and a student of Benjamin West. He focuses on documentary detail and the birth of America. He is featured on the Capital Rotunda, and painted the "Battle of Bunker Hill" created in 1785. Songs were also written using the inspiration from those who have watched a war or informative event take place in the time period. The Star-Spangled Banner written from Francis Scott Key's poem based on the witness of the bombardment of Fort McHenry in 1814. It became a very popular anthem not only for the people but also for future presidents. Pieces of literature were influential sources of change throughout the society making new styles and ways of life popular. The "New Man" was a topic of change during the New Republic. Americans saw themselves as a new, virtuous product of many cultures and new ideas that had branched out in America from expansion and immigration. "The Life of Washington"written by Mason Locke Weems was one of the pieces of literature that had influenced the "New Man" because of it's famous tale about the cherry tree that depicted Washington's virtues and was a source of moral entertainment. The New Republic was majorly focused on politics and warfare, songs, literature, and painting were all focused on those two themes expanding culture in a new light.