Siege of Petersburg

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/siege-of-petersburg

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the campaign dates?June 9, 1864 – March 25, 1865
2. What is the primary union objective?Sever Confederate supply lines to Petersburg and Richmond, and destroy Lee's army
3. What was the Siege of Petersburg and why was it called a trench war?It was a nine‑month fight from June 1864 to March 1865 where Union soldiers dug more than 30 miles of trenches to stop the Confederate army. It became a long, slow battle of digging and defending instead of quick attacks.
4. Why did the Union want to cut the railroads near Petersburg?The railroads carried food, ammo, and reinforcements to Lee’s army and to Richmond. By blocking them, the Union hoped to starve the Confederates and win the war.

War of Attrition: A military strategy where one side attempts to win by wearing down the enemy's resources and manpower.
Siege Warfare: Military operations in which enemy forces surround a town or building, cutting off essential supplies.
Logistics: The detailed coordination of a complex operation involving many people, facilities, or supplies.