First thing that comes to mind when we introduce and analyze the concept of war is political agenda and the economy but what about the war and its affect and impact that war actually has on civil society. In United States history the Civil War is a great example of what the impact of war can have on not just politics but the economy during war and most important the lives of civilians. During the Civil War the North with the Union Army and South with the Confederate Army, had opposing differences on their views of slavery, their individual reasons for actually fighting the war and their plans of attack, but these differences were not the only thing that separated the North from the South, both sides had many variances of how each side was impacted from the beginning of the Civil War to the end. This paper will overview, breakdown and highlight such differences and experiences of the actual impact North and South were faced with. Not only will it go over the differences but also some similarities as well, starting with not only the politics of both sides, but the effects of both economic struggles they were dealt with and including how the lives of North and South civilians were affected by such war.
Politics
Beginning with how the Civil War began and the politics involved, the South believed in slavery and the North did not, the North wanted a central government based society, as opposed to the South wanting state rights. The south did not want the North to have the power to conduct laws for the whole country. If the North than had the power to conduct the laws slavery would then be removed from the United States which would upset the south because southerners felt strong that slavery was necessary for social order, a form of socialism, and a legal form of institution. (McPherson, pg.32) When Lincoln won the presidential election of 1860, the South had failed to recognize the new administration, and the South having no trust in the North than lead to secession. Secession followed new problems such as the future and stability of federal properties in Southern states and when Fort Sumter had a pre emptive attack on April 9th, 1861 the end of peace began and so did the start of the Civil War. (McPherson, pg.158) Politics had changed between 1861 and 1863 there were really no campaigns going on during this time. The North began to draw on slaves for the use of military, eventually enlisted over a hundred thousand black men. The South than relocated the capital of Confederate congress to the commercial center of Richmond in May of 1861. This would eventually make Virginia the Civil Wars main battlegrounds. Its political significance concentrated most Confederate strategic thinking on the Virginia Theatre at the expense of the west. (McPherson, pg.227)
In December of 1861 the political consequences came from the battle of Ball's Bluff and congress created a joint committee to investigate the "conduct of present war". The committee produced both "good and evil" situations it eventually did help to bring greater efficiency and honesty, yet also caused political tensions with democrat generals that infected the Army of Potomac. (McPherson, pg.236) As the North's moral fell in 1862 Peace War Democrats that normally would support military measures that seemed necessary to defeat the Confederacy, either became Republicans or moved straight to the radical wing party. These Peace Democrats initially supported the preservation of the union military force but now urged restoration of the Union through negotiation and compromise. As the war took on the dimensions of the Republican antislavery crusade, the butternuts and Catholics also became antiwar. (McPherson, pg.296) With the progression of the war, Lincoln wasn't getting along and had political issues with General McClellan. McClellan was accused of being sympathetic to the South even though he was a Democrat and tended to have problems with politicians getting involved in military strategy and was later removed from duty in November of 1862. North faced the issue of slavery when Lincoln talked about his Emancipation Proclamation and the motives for the war appeared different than what some men signed up for. Most soldiers in the Union were not fighting for the freedom of slaves, but for protecting the Union. There fear was for losing their jobs to slaves after the war ended, though the slavery in the South was likely what was keeping Europe out of the war. The North wasn't even as antislavery as Europe and the Democratic significant gain in congress in 1862 election showed this response. (McPherson, pg.319)
The Union Army victory in the second half of 1863 became a large affect in the domestic politics for both the Union and Confederacy. The victories had reversed the erosion of the support for the home fronts and particularly in Gettysburg this celebration restored a more confident North. (McPherson pg.373) At this time the South's Confederate congress made some positive contributions to the war effort, but the most of the legislation was not enough and too late. (McPherson pg.392) In November of 1863 the Confederate congressional elections showed an example of no party politics. Because of failed party organization, low morale and divisiveness they lost control of both House and Senate. (McPherson pg.397) In December of 1963 Lincoln issued a "Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction" this offered a full pardon and reconstruction of property; this document addressed a lot of the political and social issues of the war. By this time the Republicans had agreed that constitutional amendment to abolishing slavery everywhere was needed and by April of 1864, the Senate passed the thirteenth amendment. After this time many states than adopted this amendment, and then progression was made on land, education and political reconstruction of the freed people. (McPherson pg.440) In 1864 Campaigning and battles were now in full force with the Union and Confederate armies, and President Election grew near. Now the main concern of the Prisoners of war was the important political issue and this increased with more battles causing overcrowded stockades and growing concerns of treatment conducted with both Union and Confederate Prisons. (McPherson pg.491)
When the elections came and Lincoln was reelection against McClellan in November of 1864 it was a referendum of the war and emancipation, two things that made this election remarkable. The fact it even took place and that the fighting soldiers were able to vote. (McPherson pg.492) This election followed into the end of the Confederacy and the desertion of the Confederate Armies in early 1865 yet failures of peace negotiations at this point. (McPherson pg.505) The Unions raids became intensely fierce during the end of 1864 and this time on the South, the destruction of Confederate resources and land grew, with these actions and events that took place and the fall at Petersburg and Richmond had led to General Lee's surrender. Days that later followed before anyone could rejoice the news of surrender on April 14 1865 Lincoln was assassinated and on April 15th Andrew Johnson became the new president. During this time the first peace treaty was enacted with General Grant surrender terms for Lee's army with Johnston. (McPherson pg.522) The Confederacy's goal for independence had become beat under extreme pressures and the Union power of a free nation, eventually leading to the end of the war.
Economy
In the beginning and before the Civil war you will see how the economical backgrounds of both North and South had vastly different economic environments, The Southern states was rural and agricultural and even though there economy did grow, it never had a large commercial and industrial sector such as the North. When it came to education the South's commitment to educating was lacking and almost half of the population was illiterate, unlike the North who had a vigorous educational system. The North states seemed to be wealthier with their finances too, as well as manufacturing production. An example being that in 1860 New York State had as much banking capital as all fifteen Southern states as a whole and in the same year Massachusetts produced more goods than all of the Southern states. (McPherson pg.27-28) One of the biggest aspects of the South's economy and helps explain their failure to be modern was there slaves being both capital and labor, an average plantations investment in a slaves was normally more than their supplies and land. Their theory behind this was that if they vested capital into a slave they would make three to four times as much in annual income. (McPherson pg.31)
One of the serious affects for both economies was the financing of the Civil War, and especially the Confederates economies financial structure because of their money tied up mostly in slaves and land the South was unable to develop a fiscal system to support the demands during the Civil War. This brought on the need to begin printing paper money which caused an inflation that was out of control. The North preferred this method to imposing taxation because they worried of upsetting tax payers and losing morale and patriotism. The Confederate government than established a "produce loan" which would let farmers pledge the proceeds from part of their crop in return for bonds equal to the market price of their pledge." (McPherson pg.220) Inflation of cotton had then caused farmers to hold the cotton for eventual higher prices and also started smuggling it through enemy lines for Yankee gold. (McPherson pg. 221) The North in 1861, because the Union Treasury was starting to lack funds, so Congress levied an income tax of 3% on incomes over $800, because this money was not going to be seen anytime soon and the worry of a financial panic with the North. This sparked the creation of "Greenbacks" in February of 1862 Congress passed "the Legal Tender Act" authorizing the issue of $150 million in treasury greenback notes. (McPherson pg. 224) With the treasury being almost broke, many people were against this act and believed that gold and silver were the only measure of value. In July of 1862 a revenue measure was signed and collected $600 million in the latter years of the war. These taxes helped to calm some of the inflation pressures of the economy, and even though the greenbacks slowly depreciated rather than gold, the Union did not experience such inflation like the Confederates did with their finances.
Because of the economic discontent in the south women had to join the labor force working in the mills and plants, Northern women also went to work a lot of them went to work for the government, signing the countless amounts of notes that were being printed to cater to the out of control inflation of the South's economy. The Southern economy even though being an agricultural one, had to deal with one of the worst and severe food shortages ever, the imports that once were supplied by the North were not able to be domestically produced in time and supply never caught up with the demand.(McPherson pg.408)The worst part of the South's food crisis was in the Spring of 1863 as the drought the year before caused the crops to die out and the stores and government that had food were holding it for higher prices or the army, this led to a break out of riots. (McPherson pg.410)
The food shortages did point out to be more of an issue of the Confederacy rather than the Union and by 1864 a majority of the South was grounds were under Union occupation or had been so badly ravaged that land became unusable. There was induced acceleration of prewar modernizing trends by the Union and the Civil War had stimulated the transportation sector of the especially the internal water transport for North's economy but decreased in the single largest industry of cotton textiles suffered a 74 percent decline brought on by the cotton famine. (McPherson p.402) Which leads into the campaign, to starve out armies by the Union Calvary this campaign worked well and was putting a stop to the South's supply. The Union Calvary destroyed not only Confederate, railroads, locomotives, factories, farms, supplies and resources. The Union army not only destroyed the military supplies, but they hurt many aspects of the South's economy by destroying the farms, animals, and eliminating ways to produce money. North's wealth though increased at this time of 1860-1870 by 50 percent and the South's decreased by 60 percent. McPherson pg.513) The South's broken economy ways on the break of resistance eventually leading to the end of the Civil War.
Civilian Life
Before the war began it seemed it was already impending a war of some sort was going to happen and when Lincoln became president 1860 his election had sparked the secession of Southern states and there people, which eventually led to the Confederacy.(McPherson pg.150) Even though it was obvious a war was coming amongst the people, particularly the Confederates were not prepared by 1861 at all of how their lives would change and the harsh realities they were facing, a lot of civilians actually suffered from the war almost as much as the men fighting it. The people from both sides assumed of a quick and short war, never imaging the reckless bloodshed, pillaging, destruction, and suffering that laid ahead of them, the mobilizing of the war had now begun. (McPherson pg.179) The Union and the Confederates tried to earn supporter confidence during the financing of the war by issuing paper money, while it seemed to help some of the financial problems in Union, yet began to make problems worse in the Confederacy and sparked inflation. In 1862 when the Confederates faced shortages with the blockade, invasions and there railroad being deteriorated the printing presses were heating up including counterfeiting this caused the currency to depreciate, Farmers were complaining that their crops were impressed by army commissary officers at way below market value and wages were declining by at least 65 percent during the war. Civilians were now unable to afford food, rent and food riots were breaking out in the cities during 1863. In April of the South decided to fix the problem of inflation by raising taxes 8 percent rise on consumer goods and 10 percent tax for businesses and imposed a tax on income. (McPherson pg.221) The taxes failed and caused widespread evasion, erratic enforcement and some farmers getting their full quotas taken by tax agents, crops were now rotting in warehouses causing bitter reaction amongst the farmers. After the Confederates military losses in Gettysburg and Vicksburg in July of 1863 Inflation on grew and by spring of 1864 it took $46 to buy what $1 had bought the three years prior, eventually leading to destroyed faith in Confederate finances.
Civilians on both sides didn't necessarily agree with the laws governing the war, during the war the Union authorities arrested at least 15,000 civilians from mainly for dodging the draft, this questioned civil liberties. Most of these civilians arrested occupied the South or the bordering states brought on by the guerilla activity and espionage. (McPherson pg.319) The civilians also had discontent with the treatment and acts of the Army prisons on both sides, the prisoner of war exchanges were considered a "shameful disregard" even though the civilians felt terrible about this treatment of prisoners, they knew there was not much they could do about it. (McPhersonn pg.487) As Sothern prisons were lacking food, good water, sanitary conditions and medical supplies, so were the most of civilians of the south. The blockades were starting to be one of the causes of famine in the South normally the Northerners seem to only lack the sugar. Sugar was usually supplied by the South but more important was the South relying on the Salt that usually was obtained from the North, the south had to then produce its own but failed to do so the salt was a key component in preserving the meat and other foods, which only exacerbated the food crisis, not only affecting civilians but the war in many ways. Northern people really never experienced no serious shortages of food or other necessities just the exception of the cotton cloth. (McPherson pg.226)
Confederate soldiers wives would write their husbands, begging for them to return home to home, the food shortage was so bad many families were hungry and starving to death, this increased the desertion rate in the Confederate armies. (McPherson pg.505) The shortages were a major issue in the South because of the Union blockade the plan was plunder and destroy all Southern resources making it hard for the Confederate forces to keep up with the morale and give up with war. This plan was working with the conditions of the prisons along with main supply shortages put a big hit on the morale on both sides not just the South, even though the South was getting hit harder. Even as the Civil War was ending, food shortage and other resources only became even more of an issue. The more Sherman's Calvary moved through the South Civilian food and supply was practically gone, the South was not only invaded and conquered but completely destroyed. (McPherson pg.513) As the confederate army begun to become bottleneck, food for civilians and the army was unavailable. Since supply lines were cut off by Union the South could not supply the remainder of Lee's Armies, with the Union winning battles and gaining ground, North Civilians now became more supportive of the war and gained moral, But South obviously being beaten down in more ways than one wanted the war to end.(McPherson pg.511).
Conclusion
With any war, both sides will have their share of problems that affect the overall ability to sustain the war efforts. The Civil War had provided its share of problems to both North and South, Problems faced as the lack of vital supplies were needed and a increase loss in manpower. This would eventually prove to wear down the ability to sustain any will to fight. It was clear that Confederates suffered a greater challenge than the North, one of the biggest challenges the North seemed to endure was the lack of morale. The Civil War outcome and the difficulties that associated resulted in the South unable to overcome such challenges but there reasons and believes that started the fight kept them going for longer than one could imagine.
