Civil Essay

Darrin Mills March 17, 2009
Constitution HS American History

The Civil War: Effect on a Nation


The Civil War can be described as one of the most brutal, and devastating wars in history, but resulted in shaping, and forming this great nation, and it’s history. The civil war changed the life and affected the way African Americans were valued, also the civil war also had great effects on solders, and regular citizens as well, from emotions to physical results. From the Anaconda Plan to the March to Sea, citizens and the government divided the nations into two parts, which had slight different view on the ways of the country.

The main cause of the civil war was over a dispute about whether the entire country as far as land, should become slave free, or slave owned, also taxation of the of cotton exports. I believe that the slaves were the main source of the country’s economy along with the confederates, but also I am pleading with the union, because the disagreement between the two parties were going to lead to a battle of their beliefs, and you cannot have a country running on one government, and have a border line between a major law, parting and splitting land in half. So the two parties would have to settle this dispute by war, and only war. The union along with Abraham Lincoln, tried various time to hold the country together, but his effort had very little effect on their perspectives. On December 20, 1860, South Carolina secedes from the Union.

Over the next several weeks, six more states pulled out of the union as well. Together all of the states formed the Confederates States of America, with Jefferson Davis as their president, and leader. The move was unconstitutional, and he stated that he had no legal right to interfere with the slavery in the states where it existed, but he expressed his right to keep the union together.

On April 12, 1861, the southern forces had opened fire on Fort Sumter, a fort near Charleston harbour. This had put fury in the north’s leaders. On April 13th, Fort Sumter, surrendered to Southern forces. Before a week later, On April 19th, the 6th Massachusetts regiment was attacked by a Baltimore Mob, and this force President Lincoln to declare a blockade boarder, and separating the southern coast.

By this time there could be no compromise, and that sparked and started the war. The civil war has certain arguments such as was it inevitable. On July 21 1861, the Battle of the First Bull Run was fought in Virginia, and nearly a month flowing, on August 10th, 1861, the Battle of Wilson Creek was fought, where General Nathaniel Lyon was encamped by the, and died.

By this Slavery still was at it’s peak, when the northern states abandoned the institution, and flourished the south’s economy, knowing very little that this move will cause the two separate area’s to cause conflict, and confrontation over land, and right involving the slaves. In the years prior to the civil war almost all the sections had conflict over the rights of the slave. This began with the debate over the three-fifth clause at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, and continued with the compromise of 1820, the Nullification Crisis, the anti-slavery Gag rule, and the Compromise of 1850.

The Civil War had an atrocious effect on the soldiers and their families, also to the economy of the United States. But this caused loved ones home, also soldiers to forward each other’s various letters, and telegrams wishes, and experiences from the war. Letters were passed on to some, but unfortunately majority of the solders would never return, due to the excessive battles all over the confederate territory, or land. But on January 1 1863, Abraham Lincoln, made one of the most drastic moves in history, by issuing The Emancipation Proclamation. .

This moved caused the Slaves to be released and become free from their slave owner. The slaves were filled with rejoice, but weren’t free due to the rebellion states attitude, and perspective on this new document. Later on this was not a good move on the Southerner’s part. By freeing their slaves, the cotton production levels would soon decrease and worsen the economy for the confederates. Due this loss, the country’s economy took a harsh blow due to the release of slave, because they were used for most of the south’s labour, and breeding to produce more slaves for the master’s work, house, and plantation.

Also the North and South both suffered from their loses of the imports and export from many states were halted since materials, minerals, other useful sources and objects were used for the war and they were fighting each other. Abraham Lincoln prohibited England from interfering with the dispute between the two territories.


Suddenly, on April 9, 1865, Gen. Robert E. Lee surrenders his Confederate Army to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at the village of Appomattox Court House in Virginia. Grant allows Rebel officers to keep their side arms and permits soldiers to keep horses and mules. Four years into the war the union suffered a devastating blow, when Lincoln was assassinated on April 15th 1865, by a rifle bullet shot by John Wilkes Booth, while viewing a screen play, or movie, approximately 7:00am.

Over the next three-month many of the Confederate’s leaders surrendered in Virginia, when but it wasn’t until the next day, that President Lincoln passed. General Johnston surrendered, in North Carolina. In May, remaining Confederate forces surrender. The Nation is reunited as the Civil War ends.

Over 620,000 Americans died in the war, with disease killing twice as many as those lost in battle. 50,000 survivors return home as amputees, and heroes. This was the last event to happen, which sealed the war, with a win to the union, and a drastic loss to the confederates.



››On Dec 6, 1865, The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, passed by Congress on January 31, 1865, is finally ratified. Slavery is abolished. This war is considered to be one of the most brutal wars compared to the infamous WWI, and WWI.