Civil War Economy Essay

The Civil War created a series of events so unbelievable, no author or historian can fathom fabricating such a tale. The civil war created not only political and social challenges and changes, but economical changes as well. As the war decided to come to an end, it left not only the North, but the South economically destrout and devastated. The Civil War ended slavery but devastated the South's banking system and economy, requiring a complete restructuring due to the loss of capital and labor. When compared to the period prior to the Civil War, the South's economy experienced both continuity and change. Similarities included the continued importance of agriculture as a primary source of income and the existence of a labor-intensive economy.

People in the Northern and Southern states had been debating economic principles and practices, cultural norms, the extent and authority of the Federal government, and, most significantly, the position of slavery in American society for more than 80 years; this debate ultimately resulted in war. As the conflicts began to escalate, both the North (the Republicans) and the South (the Democrats) were split into two. The North became the Union which believed in the opposition of slavery, as well as, preserving the unity of the country. However, the South separated from the United States of America and became its own colony, the Confederacy (which included states South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina). The Confederacy was established as a nation-state that upheld white supremacy, advocated for the preservation of slavery, and opposed democratic ideals. Its principles were based on the belief that not all men are equal, in contrast to the democratic values of equality and justice for all. As the war went on, several

As a result, people began moving from the farms to the cities looking for jobs. As stated in the thesis, the Southern economy was distraught. However, there were many ways, throughout time, that it continued to grow. With the absence of slavery (which was used before the Civil War), the South had to adapt to the changes and find a new method. The method of sharecropping can be used as evidence to support this. Sharecropping is a system which involves a tenant using a landlord's land in exchange for a share of the crop, incentivizing the tenant to produce a large harvest and remain bound to the land without seeking other prospects. Sharecropping emerged as a solution to the shortage of cash after the Civil War, addressing the labor needs of white landowners and the economic needs of poor farmers of all races. The system allowed poor farmers to cultivate small plots of land in exchange for a share of the crop. With the extra help used by people who needed jobs, sharecropping raised the economy (it was similar to the ways of slavery, except the workers weren’t enslaved). Additionally many aspects of the economy were similar to the ways the pre–Civil War South was. One of the many ways that shows the similarities