Advantages the North and the South had at the onset of the Civil War
The North had the following advantages when the Civil War began; Huge Population, Industrial advantage and Navy control. The North had a huge population of around 21 million people who stood for Union. This population was more than double the population in South which stood around 9 million people including the slaves (Boritt, 1992). The slaves could not side with the South because of the way they were being treated. Some escaped to join the Union army as soldiers and others betrayed the Confederate forces by providing intelligence to the Union (Cooper, 2012).
The North had a lot of industries compared to the South. Of the major importance to the war was the arms industry. The North had enough capacity to produce arms to sustain their forces during the war. All the industries that were producing riffles were also in the North. North could also use the treasury to borrow funds to fund the war, but, the Southerners could only rely on slave trade and cotton to raise funds for the war. The North controlled the Navy and therefore all the sea activities were on the hands of the union. The gunpowder was being imported and therefore only the North could access it. If the North blocked the sea access by the Southerners, the South could be completely defeated on the go (Boritt, 1992).
The south had the following advantages when the war began; Military power, fighting for and at Home and Food production. Ninety percent of the military training colleges were in the South. This meant that the South could train more soldiers than the North. The South could enroll more people in the military colleges and meet the soldiers demand in the battleground
The Southerners were fighting to defend their way of life. They wanted to maintain slavery, but, the North was fighting to uphold the Union. Slavery became a reason of the fight to the North when the Emancipation was declared by Lincoln in 1863 (Cooper, 2012).
The South was on their home ground. They knew their territories landscape and civilians would help them with intelligence information and logistical backing. They could ambush the Northern invaders from hideouts. Although, the South lacked good transport network that could ensure the forces had enough food supply, it had capacity to produce the food that soldiers required. This would ensure the forces were stuck on one duty; fighting. But, the North had well interconnected rail networks that ensured quick supply of foods and reinforcements to their forces (Boritt, 1992).
How the advantages North and South had affected the final outcome
The North lost more people in the war than the South. For example, in what is known as the Battle of the Wilderness, the union suffered more casualties than the South. This was because the Southerners were more accustomed to the terrain of their region. But, the victory of the Union army on the battle of Gettysburg brought a U-turn in the battlefield. The Southern forces were demoralized and they retreated making the Union army gain momentum to victory. The Gettysburg Address changed the course of the war; the Union started fighting for equality and liberation of all rather than to keep the Union (History.com, 2021).
The North used its Navy control to block the South coastline. This made help from outside inaccessible to the South. Also, the cities that were near the coastline and rivers like Mississippi were easily attacked by the Northern forces. South being the hub of military experts had an upper hand in the Civil War. The military giants like Robert E Lee and Stonewall Jackson, who were from South, resigned from the Federal government to lead the confederate forces. But, Jackson lost his life after being shot by the South troops accidentally. Robert Lee surrendered himself later to the Union commander bringing the war to an end (History.com, 2021).
Lincoln’s position on secession
Lincoln was not for secession. He wanted the America nation to be united. He wanted all the states to be intact. He did not want the Southern States to secede. He wanted them to come on the table and chat the way forward peacefully. He did not want to form treaties that could not work with the South. He wanted all states to be friends and make laws to govern themselves together. When the Southern States seceded Lincoln did not want to start the war but his actions triggered the Civil War (Avalon.law.yale.edu, 2008).
How Lincoln position affected what happened at Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter was the garrison that the Confederate states wanted to occupy fully and peacefully in order to declare themselves a nation. When Lincoln learnt that the Union soldiers needed a resupply at Fort Sumter, he sent it without knowing he could provoke the Civil war and be termed as the aggressor (Washingtonpost.com, 2011).
Effects of the Civil war
The major effects of the civil war were; Abolishment of the slavery, Loss of life, Destruction of South. The major positive effect of the Civil War is the slaves got freedom. This made the Northerners happy. The civil war remains as the deadliest and bloody war in the American history. The war claimed about two percent of the population (Nytimes.com, 2021). Both the North and South were losers. The war destroyed the economy of the south completely. The labor force was set free. The plantations and industries were destroyed during the way.
The North had the following advantages when the Civil War began; Huge Population, Industrial advantage and Navy control. The North had a huge population of around 21 million people who stood for Union. This population was more than double the population in South which stood around 9 million people including the slaves (Boritt, 1992). The slaves could not side with the South because of the way they were being treated. Some escaped to join the Union army as soldiers and others betrayed the Confederate forces by providing intelligence to the Union (Cooper, 2012).
The North had a lot of industries compared to the South. Of the major importance to the war was the arms industry. The North had enough capacity to produce arms to sustain their forces during the war. All the industries that were producing riffles were also in the North. North could also use the treasury to borrow funds to fund the war, but, the Southerners could only rely on slave trade and cotton to raise funds for the war. The North controlled the Navy and therefore all the sea activities were on the hands of the union. The gunpowder was being imported and therefore only the North could access it. If the North blocked the sea access by the Southerners, the South could be completely defeated on the go (Boritt, 1992).
The south had the following advantages when the war began; Military power, fighting for and at Home and Food production. Ninety percent of the military training colleges were in the South. This meant that the South could train more soldiers than the North. The South could enroll more people in the military colleges and meet the soldiers demand in the battleground
The Southerners were fighting to defend their way of life. They wanted to maintain slavery, but, the North was fighting to uphold the Union. Slavery became a reason of the fight to the North when the Emancipation was declared by Lincoln in 1863 (Cooper, 2012).
The South was on their home ground. They knew their territories landscape and civilians would help them with intelligence information and logistical backing. They could ambush the Northern invaders from hideouts. Although, the South lacked good transport network that could ensure the forces had enough food supply, it had capacity to produce the food that soldiers required. This would ensure the forces were stuck on one duty; fighting. But, the North had well interconnected rail networks that ensured quick supply of foods and reinforcements to their forces (Boritt, 1992).
How the advantages North and South had affected the final outcome
The North lost more people in the war than the South. For example, in what is known as the Battle of the Wilderness, the union suffered more casualties than the South. This was because the Southerners were more accustomed to the terrain of their region. But, the victory of the Union army on the battle of Gettysburg brought a U-turn in the battlefield. The Southern forces were demoralized and they retreated making the Union army gain momentum to victory. The Gettysburg Address changed the course of the war; the Union started fighting for equality and liberation of all rather than to keep the Union (History.com, 2021).
The North used its Navy control to block the South coastline. This made help from outside inaccessible to the South. Also, the cities that were near the coastline and rivers like Mississippi were easily attacked by the Northern forces. South being the hub of military experts had an upper hand in the Civil War. The military giants like Robert E Lee and Stonewall Jackson, who were from South, resigned from the Federal government to lead the confederate forces. But, Jackson lost his life after being shot by the South troops accidentally. Robert Lee surrendered himself later to the Union commander bringing the war to an end (History.com, 2021).
Lincoln’s position on secession
Lincoln was not for secession. He wanted the America nation to be united. He wanted all the states to be intact. He did not want the Southern States to secede. He wanted them to come on the table and chat the way forward peacefully. He did not want to form treaties that could not work with the South. He wanted all states to be friends and make laws to govern themselves together. When the Southern States seceded Lincoln did not want to start the war but his actions triggered the Civil War (Avalon.law.yale.edu, 2008).
How Lincoln position affected what happened at Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter was the garrison that the Confederate states wanted to occupy fully and peacefully in order to declare themselves a nation. When Lincoln learnt that the Union soldiers needed a resupply at Fort Sumter, he sent it without knowing he could provoke the Civil war and be termed as the aggressor (Washingtonpost.com, 2011).
Effects of the Civil war
The major effects of the civil war were; Abolishment of the slavery, Loss of life, Destruction of South. The major positive effect of the Civil War is the slaves got freedom. This made the Northerners happy. The civil war remains as the deadliest and bloody war in the American history. The war claimed about two percent of the population (Nytimes.com, 2021). Both the North and South were losers. The war destroyed the economy of the south completely. The labor force was set free. The plantations and industries were destroyed during the way.
