BGS 3996-The American Civil War in Literature and Film Fall 2013 Final Paper December 7, 2013 BGS 3996-The American Civil War Final Paper The American Civil War was a dark time in our nation’s history, but as with most events in history, there are both positive and negative aspects and conclusions to be drawn from this war. How someone views the positives vs. negatives is going to vary based on what side of the war they find themselves agreeing with and supporting. If your family had strong southern ties, what you view as a negative is likely to be seen as positive to someone from the northern states. This would especially be true when looking at the war from a “costs of war” perspective; it is arguable that the South lost much, …show more content…
The South however had nowhere near the same development, which severely crippled their ability to move goods and people during the war. The telegraph was another part of the infrastructure that the North was able to facilitate, which led to communications abilities that had never before been available. Infrastructures weren’t the only technological advances seen during the Civil War, more advanced weapons and the use of the first submarine by the U. S. Navy were also realized during this war. Perhaps the greatest outcome to the Civil War was the fact that in the end, this country stayed together and didn’t break apart to form two separate nations. Although most of the destruction took place in the South, the Northern states were able to assist with rebuilding after the war was over, Lincoln made sure that there were designs in place to return the South to normal as soon as possible following the end of the war, unfortunately he wasn’t around to make sure that it happened as planned. Because of this a lot of different opinions on how Reconstruction should proceed were brought forth, and it ended up being a long uphill battle, but nonetheless, the South was rebuilt. Given all of the costs and disadvantages versus the advantages and few good things to come out of the Civil War, I can undoubtedly say
The transportation of products, supplies, Natural resources, and people in the North and South was a big factor in who won the war. The attached 1861 railroad map by James Lloyd shows how dense the railroads in the North were compared to the South. The North relied more on the railroad to transport their manufactured goods. The railroads also helped the union by sending ammunition and food quickly, but The there was a fear of being sabotaged. In the map, we can also see the South railroads were very scattered. The South didn 't have much of a need to have as many railroads because they were farming communities. The Union also destroyed what little railroads the South had (Boyer 454). The Confederacy then could not transport supplies nor people to other parts of the South (Beringer 310).
The name Civil War is misleading because the war was not a class struggle, but a sectional combat, having its roots in political, economic, social, and psychological elements. It has been characterized, in the words of William H. Seward, as the “irrepressible conflict.” In another judgment the Civil War was viewed as criminally stupid, an unnecessary bloodletting brought on by arrogant extremists and blundering politicians. Both views accept the fact that in 1861 there existed a situation that, rightly or wrongly, had come to be regarded as insoluble by peaceful means.
Although the North dominated the Civil War reconstruction it is a whole different story. It would be understandable to presume that the North, who the war would have easily won reconstruction because they could have given the South as harsh punishment as they see fit. That didn’t happen, far from it. Abraham Lincoln proposed a plan which allowed the South to come back to the Union with little to no. This plan also would help rebuild the the war torn South after it was destroyed by numerous battles. Abraham Lincoln’s plan was not able to go through because he was assassinated, but Andrew Johnson proposed a similar plan that fell through. First off the South was able to rebuild a whole new railroad system which made travel easier. This was huge because now travel was faster, cheaper, and it created more jobs. One thing that at first seemed like it was going to a major affect on the South was the loss of slaves, yet the South but they were able to find a loophole through
The civil war was known as the bloodiest war in the history of the United States and it was fought over 10,000 places. And more than two percent of the population died during the war, and more people died during the civil war than in all wars put together. Twice as many soldiers died during the war than in combat and it was marked improvement compared to the Mexican war that was from 1846 to 1848 where there were 7 to 10 deaths from diseases for every death in the battle and it wasn’t until World War II that weapons killed more Americans than diseases. And this was because a lot of soldiers died from either injuries from the battlefield or
The Union won!This is great for the north, however what is next for the Confederate army. With slaves becoming freedmen and the south destroyed after total war, a lot was to be done after the civil war. A solution to this was Reconstruction. Reconstruction was a period in american history from 1865 to 1877 lasting twelve years (Foner). Reconstruction after the war caused many social, political, and economic changes to the newly formed union.
The first roar of the Civil War ended with a last gasp for air. Where in such a war more than six hundred twenty thousand men sacrificed their lives for their own belief in the abolishment of slavery (“Civil War Facts”). “We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain. That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom” (Baslor). These wise words of Abraham Lincoln cleared the way of a desolate trail of violence and pain, yet he was determined to accomplish his plans of abolishing slavery and creating equality. The Civil War, began in 1861 and ended in 1865, yet it was known as one of the bloodiest wars America has ever walked through compared to other American Wars (“Civil War Facts”). After the Civil War
It was a turning point in the history of the United States; if the South had been the winning side, then the world as we know it, could have been very different from what it is now. Everything that happened in the Civil War can always be taken back to the two great generals who shaped this war: Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee. The two were completely different: Lee would always walk around with impeccable uniforms, while Grant could care less about what he was wearing, they differed a lot in the battlefield too. Without these two figures, the Civil War could have been tragically different from what it was, after all, a great war needs great
The American Civil War is one of the most impactful course of events in American History due to the massive violence, inadequate medical care, and destruction of the southern landscape. The war, which last from 1861-1865, resulted in over 625,000 casualties on the battlefield and a large unknown number of civilian and slave deaths. Due to the horrifying conditions of battle and of grossly understaffed and unequipped field hospitals, many soldiers deserted their positions and attempted to return home; such is the story of a confederate soldier named Inman in the novel Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier. The Civil War also massively impacted the nations African-American populations as slaves were now free, however,
The Civil War was absolutely the most destructive thing that could have happened to our Natural State. It began in April of 1861 and lasted until May of 1865. Many cultural divisions and conflicts continued even after the war was finished. The war seemed as a glorified adventure for the young Arkansans who were unaware of life outside of the family farm. Many of the young men died from disease and injuries of camp life before even getting to the battlefield. Considering the development of the Arkansas Peace Society in 1861, an organization that pledged to resist the war, I do not believe that all Arkansans supported the confederacy or the Civil War itself.
“A house divided against itself cannot stand.”1 These words, spoken by Abraham Lincoln, foreshadowed the war that became the bloodiest in all of the United State's history. The Civil War was a brutal conflict between the North and South; brother against brother. With slavery as the root cause, Southern states had seceded from the Union and were fighting for their independence. They became the Confederate States of America (CSA) and were a force to be reckoned with. The Union, however, put up a fierce struggle to preserve the country. If the Civil War was to be a war of attrition, the North had the upper hand because of its large population, industrialization, raw materials, railroad mileage, and navy. But if the war was short lived, the
After the first battle of the Civil War the Upper states in the South also seceded. Abraham Lincoln was able to persuade Maryland, Delaware, Kentucky, and Missouri to stay in the Union. By doing this Lincoln gained access to the river systems in Kentucky and Missouri that led into the heart of the South. This control effected the 1862 invasions of the south, which provided the North with most of its early military successes. The Civil War was total trench warfare. Technology was the main event that influenced total trench warfare. Technology led to ideas such as strategy, weapons, and transportation. It wasn't until 1865 the Civil War ended with the surrender of the South's army. The Civil War was an event that impacted the United States greatly economically, politically and socially. This impact called for great reconstruction after the Civil War.
In the Civil War the North had many advantages over the South. The South was outnumbered, out supplied, and pushed into a corner using military tactics. Many things changed because of the Civil War. The military tactics used by the North changed how war was fought from then on. Many changes were made politically; some were only temporary, while others were permanent. After the war was over, the country was reunited and the image of the soul and duty of our country redefined.
The Civil War was all the Northern States’ fault. The “issue” of slavery should not have bothered them in the first place. If someone had a problem with slavery the solution was simple: don’t own slaves. Instead, they tried meddling with slavery which lead to the Southern States’ secession and eventually, the Civil War.
In 1861, a horrific war began. Nobody had any idea that this war would become the deadliest war in American history. It wasn’t a regular war, it was a civil war opposing the Union in the North and the Confederate States in the South.. The Civil War cost many people’s lives on the battlefield and beyond. In addition it cost an extreme amount of money for the nation which possibly could have been avoided if the war had turned to happen a little differently.
The Civil War left a country divided not only by property lines and borders but by beliefs as well. Not just religious beliefs, moral beliefs also. It left both sides, north and south struggling, trying to figure out what their next move towards reuniting the divided America was going to be. The period following the end of the Civil War would become known as the “Reconstruction Era.” An era that raised just as many questions as it did answers. A reconstruction of America that seems to carry on many decades later.