How Did The Civil War Affect The Economy

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The Civil War, shows that although the south lost, they were able to surviving without slaves and the economy could still function as a whole. After the civil war major reconstruction was needed. Southern states could not survive with the same social standards, but for now, blacks were free in the south. This also meant that the south would have to rely on other things besides slavery to boosts their economy. “For Blacks, it proved a hollow triumph. They enjoyed a brief decade of political relevance (The Civil War (1861-1865))”. The South had survived and blacks were now a part of society and relevant in the everyday average life. This however would have to change along with the social standard for blacks if the south wants to survive as …show more content…

Instead on relying on free labor they were able to boost their economy because of their cash crop production. Overall with their cash crops such as tobacco and mainly king cotton they would be making significantly less money but yet still able to partially thrive even after losing slaves. “The cotton production system relied on a rigid system of class, which was based upon the concept of race (Civil War Politics and Racism)”. After slavery was abolished the south earned 40% of the income of the north compared to 70% of the income of the north before slavery. Their number did decrease, but they proved that cash crops and the production of it through cheap but not free labor by the lower class such as blacks and whites could save the economy and keep savery away in the goal of having all men being treated equally. Also since cash crops was the south’s main reason of income after slavery, also of the crops were able to continue to be grown to assists the economy. But even though many crops were saved many still perished because the money was not there in comparison to when whites did not have to pay slaves anything. Another issue that many former plantation owners faced was how to make a good profit without slavery. Many of them resulted in borrowing money in order to plant crops. If you owned slaves then it always guaranteed to get you a good profit because you are paying minimal in expenses due to the free labor. Instead you have to pay people by the hourly, and you can’t guarantee how much work will get done. So many farmers rolled the dice and hoped that they made it by when slavery was