Hello everyone from “History in 3 Minutes Podcast.” Welcome back! Today’s topic is “The Civil War Ends.” Both sides took a second look at their strategies, strengths, and weaknesses.

President Lincoln had first thought the north would be strong enough militarily to defeat the south. However, reinforcements under the command of Thomas J. Jackson, also called “Stonewall” Jackson, helped the Confederates defeat the Union soldiers. The north realized they needed more men. Both sides instituted the draft.

Confederate ports were blockaded by the north. Their blockade runners were able to get through. This allowed them to trade cotton for guns and other supplies. Union general, Ulysses S. Grant, began a campaign to seize control of the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers.

The Battle of Antietam was a turning point in the war. The Union’s victory stopped Britain from supporting the Confederacy. The Union’s victory and high casualties caused President Lincoln to realize that the time had come to end slavery.

President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation to the states freeing all slaves on January 1, 1863. This proclamation allowed former slaves to enlist in the Union army and navy. Women helped in the war effort by managing family farms and businesses.

General Grant marched southward. After General Sherman and his troops captured Atlanta, they crossed Georgia in what became known as the March to the Sea. Sherman and his men then marched to South Carolina.

On January 31, 1865, the Republicans led the passage of the thirteenth amendment to the Constitution which banned slavery in the United States. General Lee’s troops saw they were defeated. On April 9, 1865, General Lee surrendered to General Grant at the Appomattox Court House, Virginia ending the Civil War.

The north’s victory in the Civil War helped save the union. President Lincoln had defeated slavery and saved the country. On the evening of April 14^th, 1865, our country lost one of its greatest presidents. John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Lincoln at Ford’s Theater.

So, Homeschoolers: your vocabulary words to look up today include draft, emancipation, slavery, amendment, and war.

Younger students: print each vocabulary word 5 times. Draw a picture. Write a sentence using your vocabulary word(s).

Older students: Write each vocabulary definition 5 times. Sketch an illustration and write a short summary. Imagine you are living during the time when the south surrendered and the night President Lincoln was assassinated. Explain what you would do and why.

All students – read out loud what you wrote.  You can look for a future word search for review. That’s all folks. Bye. Bye!

Extra credit for Homeschoolers/Educators/Parents: Sketch/color an illustration. Theme: freedom. Read “The Pied Piper” in Learning to Read: Fairy Tale Adventures (paperback/Kindle/audiobook). What do you think the children learned from the Pied Piper? Write what you learned in your podcast today.