1. Why did William T. Sherman want to attack Columbia? (1 point)
because he had lost a previous skirtysh there
Obecause he wanted to attack the capital of the state where the war began
Obecause it was located directly in his line of march from Georgia to North Carolina
Obecause it was a symbol of arrogance and the plantation economy that pushed the nation toward war
2. Which statement best explains why "total war" could have ended the Civil War (1 point)
Olt would destroy all the Southerners food supplies.
Olt would demoralize people and cause them to lose interest in the war
Olt would kill young people who might replenish the South's military forces
Olt would show the solidarity and overwhelming strength of the Union forces
.
To answer the first question, "Why did William T. Sherman want to attack Columbia?" we need to evaluate the given options.
1. "Because he had lost a previous skirmish there" - This option is incorrect as the reason for attacking Columbia would not be solely based on a previous skirmish.
2. "Because he wanted to attack the capital of the state where the war began" - This option is correct. Sherman wanted to target Columbia, the capital of South Carolina, because it was where the war began. Attacking the capital would have a symbolic significance and could potentially deal a blow to the morale of the Confederacy.
3. "Because it was located directly in his line of march from Georgia to North Carolina" - This option is correct. Columbia was located in Sherman's path as he marched from Georgia to North Carolina. Therefore, attacking it would have been a strategic decision.
4. "Because it was a symbol of arrogance and the plantation economy that pushed the nation toward war" - This option is also partially correct. While Columbia was considered a symbol of the plantation economy associated with the South, this alone would not be the primary reason for Sherman wanting to attack it. The strategic and symbolic factors mentioned in options 2 and 3 are more relevant.
Therefore, the correct answer to the first question would be option O because Sherman wanted to attack the capital of the state where the war began and it was located directly in his line of march from Georgia to North Carolina.
Moving on to the second question, "Which statement best explains why 'total war' could have ended the Civil War?" we again need to evaluate the options provided.
1. "It would destroy all the Southerners' food supplies" - While depriving the South of their food supplies would have had a significant impact on their ability to sustain their forces, it alone would not be sufficient to end the war. The Confederacy could still survive through alternative food sources or rely on foreign aid.
2. "It would demoralize people and cause them to lose interest in the war" - This option is partially correct. A strategy of total war, involving the complete destruction of infrastructure, disruption of civilian life, and high casualties, could demoralize the population and reduce support for the war effort. However, this alone would not guarantee an end to the conflict.
3. "It would kill young people who might replenish the South's military forces" - This option is partially correct. By targeting and killing young people who could potentially join or replenish the South's military forces, total war would weaken the Confederate military capacity. However, it is not the sole reason for why total war could have ended the Civil War.
4. "It would show the solidarity and overwhelming strength of the Union forces" - This option is correct. Total war, in which the Union forces demonstrated their overwhelming strength and unity, could convince the Confederacy that their cause was futile and lead to their surrender. It would show the South that they were facing insurmountable odds.
Therefore, the correct answer to the second question would be option O because it would show the solidarity and overwhelming strength of the Union forces.
By explaining the options and evaluating them one by one, we can determine the correct answers to the questions.
1. The correct answer is: because it was located directly in his line of march from Georgia to North Carolina.
2. The correct answer is: It would demoralize people and cause them to lose interest in the war.