Divisions over the war

Division The civil war caused division between North and South as well as divisions within the north and south. Not all southerners supported a fight to keep slavery and not all northerners supported abolition. Georgia and North Carolina had the strongest opposition to the war in the South Governors from GA and NC didn’t want their men forced to fight in a war they didn’t fully support.

Northern division Not all northerners supported the emancipation proclamation Others believed the south had the right to secede Some Northern Democrats believed Lincoln and the Republicans were forcing them into a war. Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois were most opposed to the northern fight They criticised war and tried to push the ideals of peace in their regions.

Both sides resist Some people on both sides of the war resisted by encouraging soldiers to desert their posts and leave the war. Locals would hide and help the soldiers in these efforts Many in both north and south tried to prevent men from volunteering for war To deal with this problem: Lincoln and Davis suspended the habeas corpus right which opened up unlawful imprisonment. Soldiers now would fear being imprisoned for deserting their posts and had to hide.

Further resistance To deal with desertion, both sides instituted the draft. A draft means that men are required to serve in the military and if they refuse, are jailed. Men between ages 18-35 were eligible for the draft Wealthy people were able to buy their way out of service Anger against the draft led to riots in NYC.

The North benefits Industry was booming with the northern factories turning out all the goods needed for the war effort. The union printed its own money for the first time to be used as currency during the war. Putting this new $ into the war caused inflation: a general rise in prices on everything The first income tax was introduced to help pay for the war efforts. This wealth was concentrated in Northern states and especially those with great factory work

The South struggles The Southern economy could not survive the war once income tax was introduced, and inflation set in Southern food, clothing, supplies, etc skyrocketed in cost which made life unbearable for southern families and farmers. Without the slave labor previously in place to work cotton fields, much of the south’s economy had already been lost. The northern wealth and southern poverty was the first indication that the union would be victorious in the war.

Follow up Questions: What could each government do to help their people? Their soldiers? In the name of winning the war? Would the draft actually help or hurt the economy, towns, and families?