Unit 5 Flashcards
(6 cards)
What southern economic weaknesses were exposed by the war?
Lack of Industrialization- since king cotton was the Confederacy’s biggest and main cash crop they were heavily reliant on it making it harder for them to focus on producing weapons and ammunition
Dependency on Slavery- they were built on enslaved labor but it was disrupted when the Union liberated enslaved people and encourages them to flee and made the economy more unstable
Transportation Limits- the south didn’t have many railroads compared to the north and this made it hard for them to transport troops and supplies within the Confederacy
Weak Financial System- the south relied big on printing money to finance the war, but this led to inflation and collapse of currency making the economy unstable
Blockade of Ports- The Union’s navy blockaded (Anaconda Plan) the south from exporting cotton and importing goods which deprived the Confederacy of crucial revenue and supplies and strained their economy
Limited Diversification of Agriculture- becuase they were more focused on cash crops like cotton and tobacco they were more vulnerable to food shortages especially when the Union disrupted their supply lines
Inadequate Workforce for Manufacturing- There was a lack of skilled labor to support industrial production bc their labor was agricultural which contributed to food shortages
Regional Economic Disparities- There were the mainly the wealthy plantation owners, in charge/ elite, and the poor farmers and becuase of the big difference it was hard for them to set aside their internal tensions and unit to fix the economic challenges
What changes did the Civil War bring about in civilian society, North and South?
Both
Expansion of Federal Government Authority- people in both regions experienced increased federal control of their lives like conscription, taxation, and restrictions on civil liberties
Transformation of Gender Roles- challenged traditional gender roles bc women joined the workforce and showed they can take on responsibilities which reshaped the perception of their capabilities
Shift in National Identity- for most of the north, people saw that a unified nation is better than a collection of states. In the south, regional identity and grievance were more of a common feeling
Cultural and Political Realignment- there were new political alignments and debates about the balance of power b/n states and federal gov. Education, civic engagement, and public discourse began reflecting the intense societal shifts
Changes in North
Economic Growth and Industrialization- the war helped spread industrial production especially in manufacturing, railroads, and weapons. The northern industries contributed to long-term economic growth and rise in modern industrial economy
Increase Federal Power- federal gov. Implemented Merrill Teriff, Homestread Act (1862), and the establishment of the national banking system to stabilize the economy and finance the war
Social Changes- more women entered workforces like factories, hospitals (nurses), and other men dominated areas. U.S. Sanitary Commission were about women leading and medically providing support to soldiers
Draft Riots and Social Tensions- Drafting lead to protests, especially in work-class communities. Racial tensions escalated bc some white northerners blamed black Americans for the war and economic disruptions
Abolitionists Momentum- lead to abolitionist movements like the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, which increased public support for ending slavery
Changes in South
Economic Devastation- the war destroyed the southern infrastructure, agriculture, and trade bc the Union forces targeting civilian resources. The economic structure was destroyed bc of the loss of enslaved labor leading to plantations to collapse
Social Upheaval- end of slavery and emancipation of African Americans altered the souths hierarchy. Planters lost their economic/social dominance while freedmen seeked education, employment, and political participation
Food Shortages and Civilian Hardship- Blockades and Union invasions caused food and good shortages and people faced hardship leading to bread riots in cities like Richmond. Inflation caused the Confederate currency worthless leading to economic distress
Increased Role of Women- Southern women took new roles and households in the mens’ absences like nurses, spies, supporters of the Confederate war effort
Breakdown of Social Order- while men were at war of killed, communities destabilized. Deserters and guerrilla bands created more challenges for the people
Psychological Impact- south experienced mourning and sense of defeat. Left legacy of resentment and a drive to preserve the Southern identity
Some historians have called the Civil War “the Second American Revolution.” What was
“revolutionary” about the political, social and economic conduct of the war?
Political Revolution
Centralization of Federal Authority- There was a distinctive shift in power from the states to the federal gov that the Union’s victory established which resolved the debates over states’ rights since the beginning. The federal initiatives like conscription, taxation, and suspension of habeas corpus lead to more gov power during the war
Emancipation and Constitutional Change- The Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 and the 13th amendment in 1865 changed the nations legal and political structure by abolishing slavery which redefined freedom and equality under the Constitution. This laid the groundwork for amendments 14 and 15 which redefined citizenship and voting rights
Rebirth of the Union Ideal- altered the US from a loose confederation of states to a unified nation and Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address redefined the war as a fight for democracy and equality which reshaped the nation’s identity
Social Revolution
Abolition of Slavery- the end of slavery was a social change liberation many African Americans and destroying the southern plantation system. Challenged the racial hierarchies and struggles for civil rights that would continue for generations
Changing Roles for Women- women in both the north and the south joined the work force and took on new responsibilities like nurses, managing farms, and war relief efforts. The war challenged the traditional gender roles and helped lead to later women’s suffrage and feminists movements
Social Mobility and Class Tensions- New opportunities were created like industrial workers and entrepreneurs in the north while deepening class tensions in both regions. In the south, the collapse of the plantation economy ruined the social order and forced former elites and poor whites to adapt to a world without slavery
Economic Revolution
Industrialization and Modernization- North experienced industrial growth bc of wartime demands which transitioned the U.S. economy from agrarian to industrial and railroads, factories, and financial systems expanded fast. The war established the foundation for the U.S. to be an an industrial and economic superpower
End of the Southern Plantation Economy- abolition of slavery and destruction of southern infrastructure brought collapse of the plantation economy and the south had to rebuild its economy without enslaved labor leading to share cropping and tenant farming
Economic Policies that Fostered Growth- the Union gov passed revolutionary economic legislation like the Homestead Act of 1862, encouraged westward expansion by granting land to settlers, and Morrill Land-Grant College Act of 1862, supported education and innovation. The creation of the national banking system and distribution of paper currency modernized the financial system and stabilized the economic foundation
Redistribution of Economic Power- the destruction of southern economy shifted economic dominance to the north and further solidifying industrial capitalism as a driving force in the nation’s economy
What were the primary military strategies of each side, and how did each side attempt to carry them out?
Union (North)
Primary strategy was the Anaconda Plan- to suffocate the Confederacy economically and militarily
Naval Blackade- block southern ports to prevent export of cotton and import of weapons and supplies
Control of the Mississippi River- split the confederacy into 2 and disrupt supply lines
Total War- target civilians infrastructure and economy (Sherman’s March to the Sea)
Execution- relied of superior resources, industrial power, and bigger pop to support long campaigns and overwhelming force
Confederacy (South)
Primary strategy - Defense and diplomacy
Defense War of Attrition- wear down northern resolve by prolonging war
Offensive-Defensive- conduct limited offensives into Union territory to force peace talks and gain support
Diplomatic Recognition- rely on “King Cotton” to secure alliances with Britain and France
Execution- strong skilled military leadership and new the lay of the land but they had limited resources
Why was Lincoln so slow to declare the Civil War as a fight against slavery?
Preserving the Union
Primary Goal- he wanted to preserve the Union bc he believed that if he made it about abolishing slavery right away states like Maryland (surrounds capital city), Kentucky (who the other states would follow), Missouri, and Delaware would not join the Union and he needed them for the Union’s survival. Unity in the north was crucial to restore the Union, not end slavery and Lincoln didn’t want Unionists to not support because of the different beliefs of abolition
Political Realities
Broad Coalition (alliance of political parties)- Republican Party was a coalition of abolitionists, free soilers, and moderate Unionists and declaring the war a fight against slavery too early could have fractured the coalition.
Racial Attitudes in the North- many northerners opposed slavery but they didn’t really support racial equality and a war to free enslaved people may have provoked backlash
Legal Constraints
Constitutional Concerns- Lincoln initially viewed slavery as protected by the Constitution in states that already had it and he thought he didn’t have the legal authority to interfere with it directly in those states.
Framing the War- He avoided legal challenges to federal action in the Confederate states so that the war wasn’t seen as a rebellion that threatened the Union
Strategic Timing
Military Situation- At the begininnig of the war the Union struggled militarily and Lincoln needed support and anti-slavery declaration with no victories wouldn’t have helped
Emancipation as Strength- Lincoln waited till the Union won the Battle of Antietam to issue the Emancipation Proclamation to shift the war’s focus and making European nations not want to support the Confederacy
International Considerations
Foreign Policy- European powers, Britain and France, considered helping the Confederacy but when the war was shifted to slavery and abolitionists movements were made, European nations found it politically difficult to support the Confederacy which relied on slavery
What were the causes and consequences of Sherman’s and Grant’s turn toward “total war”?
Causes
Stalemates and Prolonged Conflict- the war was longer than anticipated and with massive casualties and no decisive victories and both sides were entrenched in a war that was gradually losing strength. Ulises S. Grant and Sherman traditional military tactics weren’t working to break Confederacy’s resilience
War-Weariness- the north had growing anti-war sentiments, especially after the high casualties of the battle of Gettysburg and Cold Harbor. Grant and Sherman believed in a more aggressive approach would bring a quicker ending to the war by breaking the south
Economic Dependency of the South- Confederate war heavily depended on its economy sustained by agriculture, transportation networks, and civilian support. Destroying the south’s ability to produce and export resources would weaken its capacity to continue the fight
Shift in Objectives- the wars primary goal, initially, was to preserve the Union but with the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, abolishing slavery became a second goal and destroying the southern economy would dismantle the institution of slavery
Grant’s Milutary Philosophy-
