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Impact Of The Civil War

Impact of the Civil War

The Civil War had a devastating impact on American life. Not only did the war kill off hundreds of thousands of men, but the conflict caused drastic social, economic and political changes in America.
Preceding the civil war were drastic changes in the United States’ social climate. There was a large influx of poor immigrants in Northern cities which began in approximately 1845. This gave the North a large urban workforce that found work in factories. Harriet Beecher Stowe’s book, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, helped fuel anti-slavery sentiment in the populous North. During the war African Americans and former slaves were allowed into the army and navy. This was unprecedented and met heavy resistance among many whites, particularly in the Army. This was a precursor to the rights given to African Americans during reconstruction after the war. Women also saw more responsibilities and gained new skills by working while men were away at war. Many women were forced to run farms and work in factories. Others found jobs in government bureaucracy and nursing (Davidson, 2002). Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross was civil war battlefield hospital nurse (Faust, n.d.). Social and moral decay became a problem during the war as well. Prostitution, drinking and corruption in both Washington, D.C. and Richmond, Virginia were common. Army soldiers committed theft regularly and even the House of Representatives was robbed. Confederate President Jefferson Davis’ horse was once stolen (Davidson, 2002).

In the years leading up to and during the Civil War, the economy of the United States drastically changed. The building and use of railroads changed the economy by allowing goods to be shipped quickly to distant markets. Most Southern crops were processed in Northern factories or exported to Britain. The South was dependant on the North for finished goods, such as machinery, clothing, shoes and processed goods. Western commercial farmers were using...