Why was the capture of Vicksburg so important for Union forces?

Question

a. the city's industries
b. the city's location on a river
c. the city's distance from other battlefields
d. the city's large civilian and military population

Answer 1

The capture of Vicksburg was so important for Union forces because of its strategic location on the Mississippi River. Control of the river was crucial for the Union to split the Confederacy and isolate its western states. The capture of Vicksburg effectively gave the Union control over the Mississippi River and cut off the western Confederate states from the rest of the Confederacy, which was a significant turning point in the Civil War. Therefore, the correct answer is option (b) the city's location on a river.