The Significance of the Civil War

The American Civil War is the first real modern war in America. Most of the technology and weaponry used in the Civil War can be traced back to the Industrial Revolution era. The Industrial Revolution was a time of profound transformation that resulted in new manufacturing processes. It was a time of intense change that occurred in new manufacturing processes. By the mid-19th century, mass production industries have been developed mainly in the North, which led them to control a majority of the factories. In 1860, most of the southerners worked in agriculture. The cotton industry was also booming in the southern region. The differences between the two were enough to separate each other into two sides.
The issue with slavery is what set the stage for conflict between the North and South. The industrial technologies transformed from peacetime to war.

The war started in April of 1861. The first battle took place at the Fort Sumter, and the south ultimately won the fight. However, three days after the Confederate attack, President Lincoln called upon the right states to supply more than 70,000 soldiers to suppress the rebellion. (466) In the same month the state of Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas joined the Confederacy. West Virginia decided to split apart from Virginia to stay with the Union. In America: The Essential Learning Edition, David Shi and George Tindall state the main reason the North gain victory in the following quotation: The Union produced 97 percent of the firearms and 96 percent of the railroad equipment. (468) Using these resources, it gave the North an advantage in weaponry and in transportation, which led them to win the Battle of Rich Mountain. The Bull Run took place in Manassas of July 1861 and ended up giving victory to the South. This victory is where the nickname Stonewall was given to Thomas Jackson. Jackson was a commander of a Confederate brigade at Bull Run, he then later died due to friendly fire. By this time, the North realized that this war was going to be serious business.

Continuing from September, President Lincon issues the Emancipation Proclamation. Increasingly, President Lincoln came to see that winning the war required ending slavery. He justified the Emancipation Proclamation of 1862 as a military necessity because it would deprive the South of its captive labor force. Although the Emancipation Proclamation proclaimed the intention of eliminating slavery, it saved only those in regions still under Confederate command. The Union government proved much more capable with finances than did the Confederates. Through a series of tariffs, income taxes, bond issues, and banking reforms, the Union was able to absorb wars souring costs. The Unions victories at the Battles of Vicksburg and Gettysburg in July 1863 were a significant turning point of the war.

The methods of the war were defined. The Southerners were primarily optimistic once the war began. The Confederates had a geographic advantage and were fighting a defensive battle on their territory. Confederate diplomacy conjointly anticipated tremendous support from Britain and France, support that never materialized The Union, however, held strong advantages regarding population and industrial development. The Union began a campaign to take the Confederate capital in, Richmond, Virginia in wishes for a fast victory. The Union then chose the Anaconda Plan, that concerned imposing a naval blockade on southern ports.

The significance of the Civil War was important. The Civil War involved the largest number of casualties of any American war. The Unions victory changed the course of development in the nation. Most important, the Civil War brought about the destruction of slavery. Not only did the power of the federal government increase as a result of the war, but the center of political and economic power shifted away from the South and the planter class. The Republican-controlled Congress enacted many pieces of legislation favored by northern voters that would drive the national economic development for the rest of the century.

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