Government Policies During the Civil War - AP U.S. History

The Legal Tender Act of 1862. Created 'greenbacks' as paper money to finance the Civil War.

The National Banking Act of 1863. Created national banks authorized to sell government bonds to investors.

To promote the construction of a transcontinental railroad. Granted land and loans to railroad companies for westward expansion.

The Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act of 1862. Granted federal land to states for establishing agricultural and technical colleges.

To free slaves held by Confederate forces. Authorized seizure of Confederate property as contraband of war.

To implement a military draft in the Union. Required all able-bodied men to register for potential military service.

The Revenue Act of 1861. Imposed 3% tax on incomes over $800 to fund the war effort.

The National Banking Act of 1863. Enabled government bond sales to raise war funds through national banks.

The Militia Act of 1862. Authorized recruitment of Black soldiers into Union military forces.

It proposed strict reconstruction terms for the South. Required majority loyalty oath and constitutional conventions before readmission.

The Second Confiscation Act of 1862. Authorized confiscation of rebel property including enslaved people.

The Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act of 1862. Used federal land sales to establish state agricultural and mechanical colleges.

To ensure loyalty to the Union from federal employees. Required past and future loyalty oath from government workers and officials.

The Pacific Railway Act of 1862. Provided subsidies and land grants for transcontinental railroad construction.

A military draft for the Union Army. Created conscription system with exemptions for wealthy who could pay substitutes.

The Homestead Act of 1862. Required five years of residence and improvement for land ownership.

It shifted the war's focus to ending slavery. Transformed the conflict from preserving Union to also ending slavery.

The Revenue Act of 1861. Established precedent for federal taxation of individual incomes during crisis.

To establish a national currency and banking system. Standardized currency and created federal oversight of banking institutions.

The Confiscation Acts. Targeted property of those supporting the Confederate rebellion.

The Habeas Corpus Suspension Act of 1863. Formalized Lincoln's wartime suspension of constitutional protections.

It abolished slavery in the United States. Permanently ended legal slavery throughout all U.S. states and territories.

The Revenue Act of 1862. Expanded income tax rates and created new revenue streams.

The Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act of 1862. Promoted practical education in farming and technical skills nationwide.

The National Banking Act of 1863. Created a uniform currency and federal bank charter system.

It allowed African Americans to enlist in the Union Army. Opened military service to previously excluded Black Americans.

The National Banking Act of 1863. Replaced state bank notes with federally chartered bank currency.

160 acres of public land to settlers. Required residency and cultivation in exchange for minimal fees.

The Militia Act of 1862. Authorized recruitment of Black soldiers into Union military forces.