1. Opposing Sides

2. Financing war in the South The Confederacy’s financial reality was poor, and got worse Most southern planters were in debt & could not buy bonds Southern banks were small & had few cash reserves; so they could not buy bonds either Best way for South to raise $ was to tax trade But the Union Navy blockaded Southern ports, which reduced trade & revenue Confederacy imposed new taxes on property & farm products, but many people refused to pay Lacking sufficient money from taxes or bonds, the Confederacy was forced to print paper money to pay its bills By end of war, South had experienced 9000% inflation; The North only had 80% inflation

3. Party Politics in the North Lincoln wished to preserve Union, even if that meant continuing slavery War Democrats: supported war to restore the Union, but opposed ending slavery Peace Democrats: opposed the war and called for reuniting the states w/ negotiation Republicans viewed these groups as traitors, calling them Copperheads Congress passed law requiring states to use conscription (forcing people into military service) if they could not recruit enough volunteers

5. Europe The North wanted Europe to stay neutral and respect the North’s blockade of the South The South wanted Europe to recognize the Confederacy as a nation and aid the South -Southern planters knew Britain & France textile factories relied upon southern cotton -Planters stopped selling cotton to Brit./Fr. Until they recognized the Confederacy France would recognize Confed. if Britain would -Britain said that until Confederacy won decisive victories on the battlefield, they would not

6. Trent Affair Late 1861, the Confederacy sent James Mason & John Slidell to Britain & France -They went to Cuba & boarded the Trent, a British ship -When the Trent left Havana, it was intercepted by the Union warship San Jacinto British were furious that US stopped their ship -They demanded the US release the confederates Britain sent troops to Canada, & strengthened its Atlantic fleet After a few weeks, Lincoln freed Mason & Slidell, who continued their journey to seek allies for the Confed.

7. Military Technology Many top officers in Civil War studied Napoleon’s campaigns & had fought in war with Mexico 1840s - Organized soldiers in columns, march, fired massive vollies - Round musket balls were inaccurate, except at close range 1850s – warfare changed with the invention of cone- shaped bullets -rifles firing conoidal bullets were much more accurate at much greater ranges -troops would be fired upon several more times while charging enemy lines

8. 1 st Modern War The Civil War also marked the first time that troops defended their positions with trenches & barricades By combining rifles firing conoidal bullets with the protection of trenches, defenders were able to inflict high casualties on attackers -high casualties meant replacing many soldiers -Attrition: wearing down of one side by the other through exhausting resources & soldiers North, with its large population, could replace troops much easier than the South