“If ___________________ does not want to use the army, I should like to borrow it for a little while.”

What Union general’s consistent reluctance to act is President Lincoln complaining about in the above quote?

A. Grant
Incorrect. Lincoln is complaining about the reluctance of McClellan to attack. Grant never failed to attack when presented with a chance.

B. Sherman
Incorrect. Lincoln is complaining about the reluctance of McClellan to attack. Sherman was known for his vicious attacks on his March to the Sea.

C. Meade
Incorrect. Lincoln is complaining about the reluctance of McClellan to attack. Meade was the victor at Gettysburg.

D. McClellan
Correct! Despite McClellan’s talents in organizing an army, his reluctance to use it eventually drove Lincoln to relieve him of command.

The Battle of Antietam —

A. never saw Lee come into the North again afterwards
Incorrect. Lee would try again in 1863 after his win at Chancellorsville.

B. halted Lee's invasion of the North in 1862
Correct! The bloody stalemate at Antietam forced Lee back South to Virginia.

C. saw the greatest victory of Lee's career
Incorrect. Lee’s most remarkable victory came when he split his forces in two at Chancellorsville.

D. launched Sherman for his March to the Sea
Incorrect. While Lee launched Sherman for his March to the Sea, those orders and deployments had been limited by the time of Antietam.

Which of the following best summarizes the reason for the Union’s victory at Gettysburg?

A. The North had more talented generals.
Incorrect. While Lee made mistakes at Gettysburg, the South’s leadership was certainly not less talented than the North’s.

B. The North had an overwhelming manpower and resource advantage.
Incorrect. The North had a resource advantage overall in the war, but the two armies were equal at Gettysburg.

C. The South experienced low morale and was waiting for the “final blow.”
Incorrect. At Gettysburg, Southern morale was at its peak after a string of victories in 1863.

D. The North held the higher ground and more strategic position throughout the battle.
Correct! The North held the higher ground throughout the battle and that was the major reason that the Southern attacks were ultimately ineffective.

Which of the following best explains the significance of the image above?

A. The North took control of the Mississippi River.
Correct! The capture of Vicksburg gave the North control of the Mississippi River.

B. The surrender ended the war.
Incorrect. The capture of Vicksburg gave the North control of the Mississippi River. Lee’s surrender to Grant was still almost two years away.

C. Lincoln was re-elected president of the United States.
Incorrect. The capture of Vicksburg gave the North control of the Mississippi River. While it helped Lincoln’s re-election, that was still over a year away.

D. Lee never again invaded the North.
Incorrect. The capture of Vicksburg gave the North control of the Mississippi River. Lee was not involved in that battle.