Socioeconomic Factors in the American Civil War

In retrospect, there are still many who simply classify the American Civil War as a battle over the issue of slavery. While it is true that this issue was pivotal in the conflict, there were other significant differences between the Union and Confederacy that fueled the fire of the conflict. In this paper, three of the major differences will be presented and briefly explained.

Economic Contrast

While the Northern and Southern United States, when joined, created an economic powerhouse, when divided, a deep economic divide was created which left the South at a clear disadvantage for several reasons. The North of the 1860s was largely industrialized due to the easy access to many of the raw materials needed for heavy manufacturing, a ready pool of workers, and the sea ports and railroads that were needed to move products not only within the US but worldwide (Boritt, 1997). The South, on the other hand, was mostly an agricultural region, and when faced with the need to produce the weapons, wagons and other implements of war, found it unable to do so effectively, not to mention the production of marketable goods for sale elsewhere. Moreover, because the vast majority of the battles of the Civil War were waged in the South, tremendous damage was inflicted upon the Southern infrastructure, further weakening the economic power of the region. In terms of a standalone economy, the South was not as well equipped as the North to do so.

Political Differences

Another one of the underpinnings of the Civil War were the political differences between the North and South; of course, everyone is well aware that the South broke away from the Union, but few actually realize that a big reason for that was the political dispute over states' rights. To be more specific, the Union believed in a strong central government, with states being subordinate to that central government (Borritt, 1997). The South, in stark contrast, believed that states should have the right to act independently of the central government, and that the bulk of the power and freedom should lie in the individual states. In this instance, it can fairly be said that the Civil War was as much as fight for the freedom of all as it was for the freedom of those enslaved.

Social Distinctions

Socially, there likewise were Northern and Southern differences that existed at the time of the Civil War. Southerners were more attuned to the ancient principles of chivalry, gentlemanly conduct, and the proper behavior of "civilized society". For the North, by and large, these values went by the wayside, and the people were generally an unrefined bunch of individuals. However, on the topic of slavery, the North claimed a moral high road, fighting for the release of slaves. Southerners, viewing slaves as "less than a full person", saw nothing wrong with slavery. Therefore, social differences existed as well.

Conclusion

This paper has clearly shown several key differences between the Union and Confederacy at the time of the Civil War. In closing, it can fairly be said that in light of these differences, the Civil War becomes a far more complex, and compelling, piece of American history.

References

Boritt, Gabor S., ed. The Gettysburg Nobody Knows. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.