The Civil War: Northern Victory, Major Battles and Significance

The military, economic and political advantages of the North and South were unique and helpful in different ways during the Civil War. The military advantages of the South were that they only had to fight a defensive war and there were many highly trained military personal in the South. On the other hand the North had a huge population and many immigrants that were willing to fight in the military also the North had control of the Navy which gave them control of rivers and territorial waters in order to eventually form the blockade around the South. Economically the North had an advantage because there were many banks and factories in the North. However the South hoped that the demand for cotton overseas would help them gain allies and help them win the war although other then the cotton industry the South had a poor economy and had to borrow a lot of money during the war. Politically the Northern states had an advantage due to the well established government and due to the fact that much of the population believed that Abraham Lincoln was taking the right and moral action in the Civil War. The South on the other hand believed in states rights so there was never a formal central government established although the Southern population thought this would help motivate them to win the war.

The most important advantage the North had during the Civil War was the fact they were so much more economically powerful then the South. The North controlled most of the capital of the country and had many banks. With this money the Northern states were able to pay soldiers, buy weapons and other supplies that would be necessary for the North to win the Civil War.

The Constitution of the United States and the Confederate Constitution differ a lot. The Confederate Constitution is based on states rights while the U.S. Constitution is based on a strong central government. Notable differences is that in the Confederate Constitution congress is denied the power to pass protective tariffs and the right to tax in order to improve the country another difference is the terms for president and vice president are six years instead of the four in the U.S. Constitution.

First Years of a Long War

The start of the war disproved the myth that the war would be over quickly because at the Battle of Bull Run the Northern troops looked very close to victory yet when General Jackson led Confederate reinforcements on a counter attack the inexperienced Northern troops retreated to Washington and this showed how the Southerners were dedicated and would fight hard for what they believed in.

The significance of Congress implementing a draft during the Civil War would not increase the amount of men fighting for the North it would have also increased the money towards the war effort because if men did not want to fight they could pay a three hundred dollar exemption fee.

The Northern victory in the Civil War led to an increase in the federal government's power. The federal government also got the rights to nullification and over secession and finally the abolition of slavery helped make the United States a more democratic country.

Economic Change

During the Civil War there were many economic changes brought upon the Northern states. Since the war cost so much money congress was forced to raise tariffs and execute the first income tax. Congress also created a new banking system which is the first time the United States had a unified bank since Andrew Jackson. The Civil War also helped the industrialization and manufacturing businesses in the North and this helped a few people become millionaires however many middle class workers wages did not keep pace with the inflation.

The most important change for the nation was the quickened industrialization of the North. The North's economy was based on manufacturing so if the Northern states did not have advancements in manufacturing the economy would have slowed down.

Social Change

There were many social changes that occurred due to the Civil War. Women in both the North and the South now had jobs in factories, military nurses and running plantations. Slaves that were emancipated now had the rights of the Constitution and they were able to live and work like white men.

The most important social change was the fact that women now had jobs that were once not available to them. This would lead to women's rights and eventually women would be seen as equal to men.

Why the North Won

There are many arguments for a Northern Victory in this reading. First the argument is made that the North had superior wealth, economy, transportation and industry. The second argument is that the Southern military tactics were to aggressive and that they should of fought a more defensive war. The third argument presented states the Southern government and leadership could not compare to the North and this led to there defeat. The final argument is that due to slavery foreign power would not help the South and this led to there defeat.

The reason Northern victory occurred is due to the fact that the North had many more resources available to them. The North had transportation, industry and a good supply of money this meant the North was able to pay and fight the Civil War as a Union.

Sources

Pearson Books World History: Connections to Today Survey Edition

Pearson Books World History: Connections to Today The Modern Era Edition

Pearson Books World Geography: Building a Global Perspective