American Civil War Expository Essay

The results of the civil war

The American Civil war, known as the War Between the States lasted for just four years from 1861 to 1865, and it was an event where 11 southern states that supported slavery declared their succession from the United States and announced the formation of the confederate states of America. The civil war resulted in a decisive defeat of the confederate states of America, and their eventual resumption of their status in the United States. Moreover, the Civil war resulted to an end in slavery with the 13th amendment calling for abolition of slavery. 

Reasons for the defeat of the Confederates

Both human and material resources played a pivotal role in the defeat of the Confederates. At the beginning of the war, there were 22 million people in the north compared with 9 million in the south, of whom only 5.5 million were whites. Moreover, the north had a much greater industrial capacity, producing 97% of the firearms in the USA and 94% of its pig iron. The confederates hoped to trade with Europe for firearms, but the union used its naval strength to impose increasingly tight blockade. Thus, lack of sufficient resources was the major contributor for the defeat of the Confederates.

Organization of the confederates and the unions

Strategies

Union’s strategies

• Blockade all southern coasts eliminating the possibility of Confederate help from abroad
• Control the Mississippi river to separate Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas from other confederate states
• Capture Richmond, the capital of Confederacy to disrupt its command line
• Shatter the morale of the southern civilians

Confederates’ strategy

• Wedge a defensive war
• Make surprise attacks and use of their superior knowledge of the battle fields
• Maintain supply routes of food and weaponry
• Flank the unions at their weakest sides.

Manpower

The unions had almost twice as more manpower as compared to the Confederates. 

Weaponry

The Union had more than 100,000 factories while the Confederacy had 21,000, which implied that the union produced more weaponry than the Confederacy.

Slavery and the civil war

At the beginning of the civil war, free black Americans rushed to volunteer for the service of the Union forces. In as much as the African Americans had served in the army and navy during the American Revolution, they were not permitted to enlist because of a 1792 law that barred them from bearing arms in the U.S. Army. Nevertheless, they were permitted to enlist late in 1862, following the passage of the Second Confiscation and Militia Act. Blacks equally served in the Confederate Army, though most were slave labor force.

Get a brand-new guide on essay writing

Everything you need to get A+ this semester!

Get it

By continuing, you agree to the Terms And conditions and Privacy policy

The download will start within seconds. Good luck!

Download