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Union States Facts & Worksheets

The Union refers to the national government of the United States of America during the Civil War (1861-1865). The twenty free states and four border states were headed by President Abraham Lincoln. In opposition was the Confederacy, composed of eleven slave states led by Jefferson Davis.

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See the fact file below for more information on the Union States or alternatively, you can download our 22 page Union States worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Historical Background

  • In 1776, the term secession was used by South Carolina when they threatened separation from the Continental Congress due to the imposition of tax based on population (including slaves). By 1787, it became a matter of concern during the Constitutional Convention held
    in Philadelphia.
  • Throughout the antebellum, secession was referred to as the assertion of minority interests against the indifferent majority. James Madison, one of the Founding Fathers, also called secession disunion.
  • Prior to the 1861 Civil War, the United States of America was divided between the North and South. Disagreements regarding states’ rights, economy, tariffs, and slavery marked the demarcation line. In addition, continued westward expansion caused concern in the Southerners that new states would be admitted as free states.
  • On December 20, 1860, South Carolina was the first state to secede. It was after the election of Abraham Lincoln as the 16th President of the United States. The success of the Republican Party with its anti-slavery ideology outraged southern states.
  • Months later, states from the deep South seceded, including Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas and North Carolina soon followed. The states formed the Southern Confederacy and elected Jefferson Davis as president.

The Union States during the Civil War

  • The Union consisted of 20 free states and four border states. Free states included California, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Maine, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Oregon, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Kansas, New York, Nevada, Vermont, Ohio, Michigan and West Virginia.
  • Border states were slave states that did not secede to the Union, they included Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland and Missouri.
  • The Union-loyal state of West Virginia was formed after the secession of Virginia’s larger portion. On June 20, 1863, West Virginia became part of the Union. In addition, Nevada joined the Union as a state on October 31, 1864.
  • On April 12, 1861, the Civil War began when Confederates attacked Union soldiers stationed at Fort Sumter, South Carolina.
  • The Union was referred to as “the North” while the Confederation as “the South.” Southerners labelled Union soldiers Yankees, while Northerners called Southerners Rebels.
  • Initially, there were 16,000 men in the U.S. Army. After continuous secession of Southern states, army generals and soldiers joined the Confederation. In order to put down the insurrection, President Abraham Lincoln called on the states for soldiers.
  • On July 22, 1861, Congress authorized 500,000 men to be part of the army. For steady income, many Northerners and immigrants enlisted.
  • Many residents in the border states joined the Union and opposed secession. They were called as Unionists.
  • By the mid-1862, President Lincoln allowed African-Americans to serve in the army due to declining numbers of volunteers.
  • At the end of the war, 10 percent of the Union army were African-Americans.
  • Early in 1862, emigrants from the South and Confederate prisoners were illegally enlisted in the army, they were called Galvanized Yankees.
  • Union soldiers were categorized by specialty, including infantry, artillery and cavalry. Their operations were also divided based on geographical regions called theaters.
  • It included the Eastern Theater, Western Theater, Pacific Coast Theater, Trans-Mississippi Theater, Lower Seaboard Theater and Gulf Approach. Generals such as Winfield Scott, Henry Halleck, George McClellan, and Ulysses S. Grant led the theater campaigns. In addition, field commanders including William Rosecrans, William Sherman and George Thomas led the armies.
  • The Union’s large population, wealth, and industrialized supplies and weapons became their advantage. Most of the battles during the Civil War were fought on Southern soil. In addition, the Union implemented the Anaconda Plan, which blocked cotton trading in the South.
  • Many of the soldiers from both Union and Confederate sides died of disease. In ratio, one in four Union soldier was killed
    or wounded.
  • In the spring of 1865, the last battle was fought at Palmito Ranch. On April 9, 1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia.
  • At the end of the Civil War, there were approximately 2 million men who served the Union army and an estimated 750,000 to 1 million Confederate troops.
  • The Battle of Gettysburg was recorded as the bloodiest with over 51,000 casualties.
  • After the war, 1522 Medals of Honor were awarded to Northern soldiers and none to Confederate troops.
Union States Facts
Image showing the Union States

Union States Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Union States across 22 wonderful pages. These are ready-to-use Union States worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the many events, places, and people that make up the states. These worksheets are cross-curricular and can be used in Social Studies as well in English Language Arts.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Union States Facts
  • Civil War Map Reading
  • Famous People
  • Loyal to the Union
  • In-between: Border States
  • Civil War Soldiers
  • Union Theaters
  • Generals and Commanders
  • Before the War
  • Painting Analysis
  • Union or Confederate?

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Link will appear as Union States Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, March 8, 2018

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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