1. What was the social and economic impact of the Civil War?
Learning Objectives:
To enquire into the impact the Civil War had on the lives of women, children and slaves
To analyse the key challenges faced by those in the Home front
To reach a supported judgement about the main economic and social impact of the Civil War

2. The start of the war
At the start of the Civil War volunteers on both sides rushed to join up expecting the war to be over quickly.
The South introduced conscription in April 1862 requiring all able-bodied men between to serve for 3 years. (By the end of the war this was extended to year olds.)
The North introduced conscription in 1863 for all able bodied men between
In the North and South those not willing to fight could pay a fee of $300-$500 or provide a substitute not of draft age.
Their was widespread opposition on both sides to conscription.

3. The Home Front
Almost every family had a son, husband, sweetheart, brother or father away at war. For those who remained behind, the Civil War changed their lives forever.
Discussion Questions:
What does the kneeling woman symbolize?
What is the soldier doing?
Look at the pictures along the bottom of the slide. Describe the actions taking place.
The Civil War touched the lives of every American family, North and South. 620,000 soldiers died in the war and over 375,000 were wounded. For those not fighting on the Home Front, the Civil War had a huge economic and social impact on their lives.

4. The impact the Civil War had on Women, Children and Slaves
Brief explanation of the impact the war had on each group
Was the impact economic or social?
Impact the war had on Women
Impact the war had on Children
Impact the war had on Slaves
What do you think was the greatest impact of the Civil War?

5. The Role of Women (How did the war effect their lives economically and socially?)
What are women doing here to support the soldiers?
Discussion Question:
What actions are women taking to support the soldiers in the picture?

6. Women at work
Notes for the Teacher: With so many men at war, women had to take on more responsibility. In the South, women on plantations took charge, serving as plantation mistresses and managing vast numbers of slaves while their husbands were away at war. Most Southern women took on the back-breaking strain of agricultural labor, often doing work that their husbands and sons would normally have done. In the North, women bore the brunt of manufacturing jobs or the farm work and were vital to the success of the war effort to supply the Union army.
In the South women on plantations took charge, managing the slaves and the cotton whilst their husbands were away.
In the North many women went to work in the factories helping supply the army with equipment.

7. Women in the Army
At least 400 women disguised themselves as men and marched off to war. Jenny Hodgers was known as Private Albert Cashier and joined the 95th Illinois Infantry, in August 1862, and served for more than three years. She received a War pension and was buried in 1915 with full military honours.
Discussion:
Why do you think a women would disguise herself as a man to join the army and fight in the war?
Notes for the Teacher: Early in the war recruiting examinations were cursory. Later, because of rampant illness and disease, recruits received careful and complete physical examinations. The lax medical examination early in the war allowed some women to sneak through and serve in the army disguised as men. Jenny Hodgers, known during the war as Private Albert Cashier joined the 95th Illinois Infantry in August 1862 and served for more than three years. She participated in many campaigns, including those at Vicksburg, the Red River and Mobile. Hodgers continued to wear men’s clothes until 1911, when a doctor discovered her identity while mending her fractured leg. She continued to receive a soldier’s pension and at her death in 1915 and was buried with full military honors.

8. Clara Barton
Known as the, ‘Angel of the Battlefield’ by the soldiers. From 1862, she served as an independent Nurse on the battlefield and cared for wounded soldiers.
After the war she helped locate thousands of missing soldiers for their families.

9. Children during the war
Sometimes families followed soldiers into the army.
Sometimes families followed soldiers into the Army

10. Children during the War (Working)
Children worked the fields for the family while their fathers and older brothers were away at war.
Many children had to work for example in the fields whilst their fathers and older brothers were away.

11. Children during the war (Fighting in battles)
Young boys often served as drummers or buglers for the armies. Private Johnny Cook was a bugler with Battery B, 4th U.S. Artillery. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Antietam, acting as a cannoneer under severe fire, when he was only 15 years old.
Young boys often served as drummers or buglers for the armies.
Discussion:
Why do you think boys did this?
Do you think the boys wanted to do this?
Do you think the boys were in danger in these positions?

12. Children during the war (Caring for the wounded)
Tillie Pierce was a 15 year old teenager on July 1, 1863 when she left Gettysburg with her family to escape the battle. She found herself nursing the wounded at the J. Weikert Farm, south of town. In almost every home and building in Gettysburg for months after the battle wounded soldiers were cared for. Tillie later wrote about her experiences in an article, “What a Girl Heard and Saw of the Battle.”

13. The Role of Slaves
In the South, some slaves continued to work for their masters and mistresses, providing for the troops and families for which they worked.
In the South, some slaves continued to work for their masters and mistresses, providing for the troops and families for which they worked. However, many left, fleeing to the North in hopes of a better life.

14. The Role of Slaves
Many of the freed men joined the Union forces.
Many of the former slaves and freed men joined the Union forces.
They did not also receive equal treatment and there were no Black Officers.
Until June 1863 they received less pay than white soldiers. If they were captured by the South they were returned to slavery or executed. 38,000 died in the war.

15. The Role of Slaves
Former slaves would travel North or with the army. Some former slaves joined the army while most others took care of their families and tried to find work.
Many former slaves escaped from the South and headed North hoping for a better life.

16. Challenging Times: Blockade
‘The Anaconda Plan’
This plan was designed by the North with the simple aim of blockading Southern ports and starving the South into defeat.
Families in the South faced severe shortages in food, clothing, medical supplies and equipment.
Particularly in the South families faced shortages in raw materials, food, clothing and medical supplies due to the Union Navy blockading Southern ports.
Notes for the Teacher: Above is a cartoon illustration of the “Anaconda plan” a plan developed to block the Southern ports, surround, and essentially disable the Confederacy.

17. Challenging Times: Food shortages
Shortages became so severe that in 1863 the women of Richmond, Virginia, marched on the government in a “Bread Riot.”
Discussion Question:
Why do you think women rioted in Richmond, Virginia? Why do you think it was just women?

18. Challenging Times: Living through a siege
Civilians in Vicksburg lived through 47 days of Union siege operations, against Confederate forces, defending the city of Vicksburg. Families lived in caves and trenches to escape the bombardment and many starved in the process.
Discussion:
What is a siege? (Answer Information: Surrounding a defended area, cutting the area off from food and supplies.)

19. Challenging Times: Living in a war zone
Civilians who had homes near battles often had their homes destroyed or taken over to use as field hospitals. Sue Chancellor was 16 in May 1863 when General Hooker took her home for his headquarters. She left a detailed description of the ordeal she faced with 15 other women and girls, including relatives, neighbours, and a young abandoned black girl.
“Oh! Such cannonading on all sides,” Sue wrote of May 2,
“such shrieks and groans, such commotion of all kinds!
Her home became a hospital, the grand piano became the amputating table. Arms and legs were thrown out the window. The house caught fire from shelling and burned to the ground. Luckily all the family got out alive.
Image information:
Battlefield of Chancellorsville House after the Battle
Notes:
Sue Chancellor was 16 in May 1863 when her home was between the armies and General Hooker took it for his headquarters. She left a detailed description of the ordeal she faced in company with 15 other women and girls, including relatives, neighbors, and a young abandoned black girl. Water stood shin deep in the basement where they crouched for protection.
“Oh! Such cannonading on all sides,” Sue wrote of May 2, “such shrieks and groans, such commotion of all kinds!”
Her home became a hospital, the grand piano became the amputating table. Arms and legs were thrown out the window. The house caught fire from shelling and burned to the ground. Luckily all the family got out alive.

20. Economic Impact on the North and South
The cotton textile industry suffered as it lost access to cotton from the South
Industries making weapons, uniforms and the railroads all did well
Wealthy factory owners and traders profited from the war
Ordinary workers suffered as prices went up due to higher taxes and inflation. Wages were kept low due to women and boys happy to work for less money
The South
The war destroyed their railroad system as the Union army tore up tracks
Cotton growing was disrupted and production fell from 4 million bales in 1861 to 300,000 bales in 1865.
The only industries to grow were those linked to the war like munitions
By 1865 there were major food shortages and food riots in some cities.
The South suffered from terrible inflation of 500% by 1865 as the government in the South printed more and more money to pay for the war.
WHICH SIDE SUFFERED THE MOST?

21. What was the greatest impact of the Civil War? Economic or Social?

22. Exam practice – 4 mark questions
a) Describe how the lives of African Americans were affected by the Civil War. OR b) Describe how the Civil War damaged the Southern economy.
Level 1: Answer shows knowledge of the key features (1-2 marks)
Level 2 Answer shows clear knowledge and understanding of the key features (3-4)