Social Class In The Civil War

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The Relationship between the Economy and Social Class Around the Civil War The American Civil War is best known for its two effects: the prevention of the Confederation’s secession from the Union and reduction of slavery. In fact, because of these effects, many people believe that the Civil War dissolved slavery, equalized people of different races, genders, and ethnic origins in America, gave the North complete control over the South, and led to better conditions to all people. Although this statement may be true in the long run, it is inaccurate in the short run. Instead, the Civil War mobilized society, which led to a boom for some, changed nothing for others, and exacerbated conditions for yet others. It was a war that lifted the veil …show more content…
The need for military equipment such as rifles, blankets, food, and uniforms spurred agriculture and industry in the North. Many northerners were able to achieve the “American Dream” and move West to cultivate crops, especially because the government passed acts such as the Homestead Act, which offered free land, and Land Grant College Act, which helped states establish agricultural and mechanic colleges. More people also went into industry and became part of the proletariat; some people were fortunate enough to become part of the bourgeois and be successful, partly due to dramatic changes in financial policy to finance the war. However, the South’s main resource, cotton, was not high in demand because an oversupply in Britain existed and other nations started to produce their own cotton. And there were not enough slaves or workers to produce crops or military equipment, so the people suffered. The South was unwilling to tax planters, so there was not enough money to furnish troops. In the North and South, relationships between whites strained because rich individuals could provide substitutes for the draft and many military officers seized farm goods from small farmers. This caused many people to sink into poverty, causing them to desert the war. Many riots took place because workers hated how manufacturers and large planters unfairly reaped their labor. Because federal …show more content…
The War hastened the North’s transformation into an industrial giant. The railroad industry especially prospered because of the desire to open new areas for commercial farming and market products. This environment encouraged leaders such as Carnegie and Rockefeller to create large businesses, providing jobs to immigrants. However, this environment was very volatile. Because of the oversupply of many goods and federal monetary policies, the economy suffered many depressions. Moreover, many people’s expectations of the “American Dream” had changed. Now, they looked up to these great entrepreneurs and tried to start businesses of their own. Most of them failed due to competition from larger firms, which battled to dominate industries. Therefore, many of them had to resort to working as part of the proletariat for very low wages due to the nature of competition in capitalism. Many people had to work sixty hour weeks in cramped conditions at factories; their lives were almost that of slaves. At this point, when the issue of slavery no longer clouded the people’s minds, they suddenly realized that their old American Dream was shattered too. Many people could not move to the West because they could not afford to or farming was too difficult. They realized that their current jobs, which they thought were temporary, may become permanent, and their labor would help
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