How Did The Civil War Shape America Today

It is evident that the Civil War helped shape America into the country it is today. The strong factional division -based on slavery- between the Union and the Confederacy guaranteed certain achievements from both sides. Much of what we consider history today remains part of the outcomes from these multiple bloody battles. Activist John Muir of the Civil War-era stated, “the traces of war are not only apparent on the broken fields, burnt fences, mills, and woods ruthlessly slaughtered, but also on the countenances of the people” (page 535). Change was noticeable within the nation. From the Civil War, the United States advanced its technology, showed changes from a federal and state standpoint, and empathetic political understanding. Technology

In an attempt to continue the expansionist state’s idea of “manifest destiny”, the Pacific Railroad Act of 1862 was established. The Union worked alongside the Pacific Railroad Company –now known as the Union Pacific Railroad- to create a massive network of railways that would brand out into the West. Iron and steel began to proliferate across the already-expansive nation, opening up the industrial infrastructure within the North, allowing the expansion of the army across the country. Railroads would undoubtedly be a necessity for Union victories. With proper railways constructed, vast amounts of Northern soldiers and war volunteers would now have the opportunity to arrive swiftly at the battlefields in a defense against the Confederacy. The infrastructural dependency of the Southern states, however, all but destroyed its economy. Targeting Southern industrial resources (especially railroads) gave Union forces the advantage. Without the availability of rail lines, a slow road to recovery was

President Abraham Lincoln observed this, while the Union stood by waiting for his next move. The amount of lives spent on the war was not worth the temporary glory. No longer was the matter of restoring the Union strived for. Instead, transforming the United States of America into what it ought to be meant so much more to the people. The war represented freedom, while its aftermath represented growth. The Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 showed the side of morality that the nation clung to in all of its chaos. The federal government could now rule on matters of freedom, and the rights of its people. Decisions made by President Lincoln shaped his image, and from this measures not necessarily best for the United States were taken. The idea of “total war” – complete control over seceded states- revealed deep cruelty from the Northern states. Quick destruction without consequence backed by complete support from Union citizens was the only way to end the