11.5 THE LEGACY OF THE WAR

OBJECTIVES:A. WHAT WERE THE ECONOMIC, POLITICAL, MILITARY AND SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF THE WAR?

B. WHY IS THE CIVIL WAR CONSIDERED A “TURNING POINT”?

Lee with his son after the surrenderAfter opposing secession, General Robert E. Lee accepted a commission in the Confederate army and commanded the Army of Northern Virginia for most of the war. Photographer Mathew Brady took this picture of Lee (center), his son Major General G.W.C. Lee (left), and his aide Colonel Walter Taylor (right) eight days after Lee's surrender to General Grant. The forlorn expression on the general's face vividly demonstrates the agony of defeat. (Library of Congress)

Lee with his son after the surrender

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FINAL ANALYSIS Slavery ended 600,000 dead 1,000,000 wounded $15 billion direct costs (higher indirect

costs) Nullification and Secession now defunct Republican democracy proven viable to

world

ASSASSINATION OF LINCOLN

Lincoln assassinated by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865, five days after Lee’s surrender

First president to be assassinated in US history

7 million Americans, 1/3 of North’s population, viewed funeral train

Title: Assassination of President Lincoln at Ford's TheatreYear: 1865 Creator: H.H. Lloyd & Co.

WHY DID THE SOUTH”S STRATEGY FAIL? - ANALYSIS

Northern Economy outperforms the South’sNorth is more industrializedNorth has more workersNorth has more transportation

Northern states stay united; Lincoln is able to control dissent

North has more populationPeople to workMen to fight

WHY DID THE SOUTH”S STRATEGY FAIL? - ANALYSIS

Uncle Tom’s Cabin moves people of England and France to oppose their governments joining the South and breaking the Union blockade/Anaconda Plan.

Britain relies on Union grain shipments to off-set shortages (King Corn defeats King Cotton)

Trent and Alabama crises: these violations of neutrality threaten war with Britain/Canada. Diplomacy succeeds and Britain pays damages.

Confederacy has same problems as Articles of Confederation – weak central government

Jefferson Davis not popular, threatened w/ impeachment

ECONOMIC CHANGESIN THE NORTH: Economy booms and grows Institutes income tax for 1st time Construction of national railroad system Creation of national banks Instituted the “greenback” currency 179% inflation rate in 1865IN THE SOUTH: Economic collapse Percentage of national wealth drops from 30 to

12% Income is 2/5 of Northern average 9,000% inflation rate at end of war!!!

SOCIAL and POLITICAL COSTS and CHANGE

Nullification and Secession now defunct,BUT states’ rights STILL VERY MUCH ALIVE.

Emancipation and Thirteenth Amendment end slavery

Power of the federal government greatly expanded Republican democracy proven viable to world Over 600,000 dead (360,000 Union….260,000 CSA) Over 1,000,000 wounded Over 3,000,000 men in uniform for 4 years (=10% of total

population) $15 billion direct costs (higher indirect costs) War debt and caring for wounded veterans consumes the

federal budget for the next several decades

MILITARY CHANGES

Invention of rifle and minié ball deadlier wars Cavalry becomes obsolete End of massed infantry charges (Pickett’s

charge) Beginning of trench warfare End of wooden ships – age of ironclads begins

MEANS TO AN END? During the war Lincoln violated the Constitutional

limits on his powers:1. Initiated blockade w/o advice/consent of

Congress2. Increased size of army w/o advice/consent of

Congress3. Appropriated funds w/o advice/consent of

Congress4. Suspended habeas corpus5. “supervised” voting in border states (intimidation)6. Violated freedom of the press7. Uses total war against South? Will it jeopardize

the peace?

Also, the DRAFT: Was it necessary? Just?