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Education: Civil War In New York

The Civil War marks one of the bloodiest events in American history. During the Constitutional Convention, compromises regarding slavery were made in order to ratify the Constitution and form the United States of America. The framers of the Constitution recognized the moral issues surrounding the slave trade but many were not prepared to give up slavery's economic benefits, in order to make true the phrase "All Men are Created Equal."

As the nation expanded westward, the debate over slavery intensified. The northern states, who largely opposed slavery's expansion believed the federal government should stop its spread. The southern states rallied behind the notion of state's rights in order to protect their slave-trading interests and allow for its expansion to the newly forming states in the West. Tensions, which had been largely kept in check throughout the 1840s and 50s reached a boiling point with the election of President Lincoln in 1860. Following his inauguration, several states succeeded from the Union, sparking a brutal war lasting four years. The war resulted in the end of slavery throughout the United States and the passage of important Constitutional Amendments, which would be used throughout the nation's history to advance civil rights to marginalized groups.

As you explore some of the important locations associated with the war in New York, consider the following questions:

What role did New York play in the Civil War? What effects did the Civil War have on the "home front?"

New York Social Studies Scope and Sequence Standards 4.5c, 7.8c,d, & 11.3c

For Teachers: Lesson Plan for Civil War in New York

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Urban Archive

1

Camp Sprague

Camp Sprague

MILITARY CAMPS During the Civil War, men were recruited throughout the North to fight. In Staten Island several camps were formed to recruit and train soldiers for the Union Army. One camp, located at New Dorp called Camp Sprague was said to be able to accommodate 15,000 soldiers. The rural environment of Staten Island at the time made it an ideal place to train and organize New Yorkers preparing to fight. Without local camps like this throughout New York and the North, the United States would not have been able to raise an army to fight against the Confederacy.

2

Brooklyn Navy Yard Dry Docks

Brooklyn Navy Yard Dry Docks

BROOKLYN NAVY YARD For one hundred and sixty-five years, from 1801-1966, the Brooklyn Navy Yard was a major site for the construction of naval vessels. Some of the most famous naval ships in the country's history were built in Brooklyn. This includes ships like the USS Monitor, which was the first ironclad vessel to be commissioned, or ordered, by the US Navy. An ironclad ship was an advancement over a traditional wooden ship because it was powered by steam and made of stronger materials like iron or steel. When the USS Monitor attacked the CSS Virginia, a Confederate ship during the Civil War, it marked the first time in history a battle between two armored ships occurred. The Brooklyn Navy Yard was essential to the Union's war effort. Other Union ships formed a blockade of southern ports. This meant that no ships could enter or leave the South, which hurt the Confederacy economically.

3

Fort Totten Park

Fort Totten Park

FORT TOTTEN Originally called the Fort at Willets Point, Fort Totten is located on the coast of Queens where the Long Island Sound and the East River meet. It along with Fort Schuyler in the Bronx were designed to protect New York City against a naval attack. This image, taken in 1882, shows the strategic advantages of the location for a military fort. It is on elevated ground and the water is visible in the background of the photo.

4

Fort Totten Park

Fort Totten Park

FORT TOTTEN Constructed during the Civil War, Fort Totten was used as a training ground and recruiting station for soldiers. Forts like Totten dotted the shores of New York City and protected the Union's most important city from threats of naval attack. While built during the Civil War, Fort Totten continued to serve military purposes for decades after. This image, from 1917 shows activity related to World War One.

5

259 First Avenue

259 First Avenue

DRAFT RIOTS Many of the men stationed in the camps on Staten Island, Queens, and elsewhere, were conscripted or drafted into the army. At the time, people could pay $300 for a substitute if their name was picked in the draft lottery. This angered the largely Irish immigrant population of New York City who could not afford a replacement. In the Summer of 1863, the Draft Selection process in New York was consumed by large-scale rioting among the immigrant populations of New York. The rioting and violence began in Manhattan outside of the Draft Board offices but quickly spread to other government buildings throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Staten Island. There was even some violence in the military camps on Staten Island, like Camp Sprague.

6

The Colored Orphan Asylum

The Colored Orphan Asylum

DRAFT RIOTS Sadly, many rioters attacked, killed, and destroyed the property of African Americans in the city. These immigrant rioters mostly saw African Americans as a threat to their employment and livelihoods because employers could pay Black New Yorkers less for the same job. Many of the rioters did not want to help fight for enslaved Africans' freedom because this might mean more competition for employment. The rioters made their way uptown and destroyed the Colored Orphan Asylum, which was an orphanage for black children in New York. Unfortunately, not even children were spared from the violence.

7

97 Catherine Street

97 Catherine Street

BROOKS BROTHERS An essential, but often overlooked, component of the war effort was the need for military uniforms. Brooks Brothers is a famous clothing manufacturer based out of New York City. They are typically associated with high end clothing, but throughout its early history, the company partnered with the US Army to produce uniforms. This was the case during the Civil War. As the producer of Union uniforms, the Brooks Brothers' original store at Catherine and Cherry Streets was a target of the mob violence that consumed New York City during the Draft Riots of 1863.

8

Plymouth Church

Plymouth Church

UNDERGROUND RAILROAD The Underground Railroad is the name given to the system of safe houses and stops that brought escaped slaves out of the South and into freedom in Canada. New York City played an important role in this network. Plymouth Church in Brooklyn, for example, was known as the "Grand Central Depot" of the Underground Railroad. Led by its famous pastor, Henry Ward Beecher, the congregation at Plymouth hid fugitive slaves in the basement until it was all clear for them to move on!

9

Cooper Union Foundation Building

Cooper Union Foundation Building

GREAT HALL AT COOPER UNION Abraham Lincoln experienced a relatively rapid rise to national fame. He served a couple of terms in the Illinois State Legislature and one term as a member of the US House of Representatives. In the beginning of the 1860 Presidential Campaign, Lincoln was not considered to be a front-runner for the Republican nomination. He was then invited by Henry Ward Beecher, the pastor of Plymouth Church, to give a talk. At the last minute, the speech was moved to the newly constructed Great Hall at Cooper Union. In this auditorium, Lincoln gave a passionate speech which helped to raise his national status. Later that year, he received the Republican nomination for president and went on to win the election. Many historians claim this speech as a key part of his presidential victory, which ultimately set the stage for the Civil War and the end of slavery in the United States.

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