The civil war brought many losses to the civil war but it also brought a few gains. In my opinion the big one is that the slaves were finally freed. That is important and would never have happened if not for the civil war. Another thing that the civil war did was bring the nation together. That was important. Before the civil war started, things like John Brown's raid, Uncle Tom's cabin, and the Dred Scott decision created a lot of tension between the north and south. I think that the ending of the civil reunited America and that was very important. The third thing that was gained from the civil war was that the United States came back together and the north and south were no longer seperated. There were many bad things that came with the civil war. One was the loss of so many American lives. When one American army is fighting another it can only mean that there will be a greater number of American fatalities. Also after the civil war the southern economy was in trouble. The reason is that they depended so much on slaves that when they weren't allowed to use slaves any more their economy was in trouble. I think that they shouldn't have relied on such a dishonest method of profit and that way they wouldn't be having this problem. A big disadvantage is that after the war Abraham Lincoln was killed. Lincoln was a great president and because of that he was a major loss. His death could have been prevented if there was no civil war.
Although the Civil War was only four years, there were many losses and many gains that came out of one of the toughest times in American history. First, let’s start with the losses. Due to the fact that it was a war, there were a lot of losses. Several thousands of boys and young men were killed living children, siblings, parents, and wives behind. Furthermore, along with the death of several men there was the death of one very important man, Abraham Lincoln. Likewise, the war not only caused destruction on the lives of the American people, but in the South. The South was economically and physically destroyed after the war. Crops and farmlands were burned and completely annihilated from the battles; therefore cash from the crops could not be earned. Towns and cities were also destroyed in the war’s wrath, leaving many people without homes and jobs. Since the Civil War caused so much destruction, it was considered one of the worst wars in American history.
Even though the amount of loss from the civil war was great, there was a lot gained. For example, the first income tax was created in 1861, and paper currency, called greenbacks, was also created. Similarly, industry increased and agriculture became outdated during the war, and a draft was created. Also, warfare improved because of the introduction of ironclads and rifles. Lastly, there were two final things that were gained during the Civil War that were probably the most important. First of all, the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 abolished slavery which was a huge gain for the North and the country as a whole. This is because for the first time the principles that the nation was built on, namely equality, were finally being carried out. The second thing that was gained from the war was that the United States was becoming more of a union rather than a group of states that could leave whenever they pleased. All in all, the civil war really changed the United States as a whole, both negatively and positively.
I think that in a way even though the war was over the nation disagreeing, in the end it brought the nation together even more. I believe that Abraham Lincoln was right to say that the war was a test to see if the nation could thrive on the principles that it was built on.
Sources: Textbook Class notes http://www.montereyinstitute.org/courses/US%20History%20I/course%20files/multimedia/lesson38/lessonp.html?showTopic=2 http://thomaslegioncherokee.tripod.com/aftermath.html
Reply
jiayi diao
4/21/2010 12:09:01 pm
I think the civil war had more loses than gains. I thought man's life is always higher than any thing else, the civil war took away more than all the wars that America had fought. The loses of men is the main lose. And then is the people, after the civil war southern economy would suffer for years. gains A reunited country, modern inventions, the western migration end to slavery, Us becomes a more powerful country. jiayi diao
Sources: class notes
Reply
molly
4/26/2010 10:56:05 am
There were many losses and gains for both the north and the south after and during the Civil War. One gain was a reunited country. Before the war, the north and the south hated each other and both had different opinions. But after the war, they both realized they are one nation and came together again. Another gain was the end of slavery. The South was all for slavery and the North was totally against it. They believed it was wrong to own someone. So when the war ended, I'm pretty sure all of slavery did as well. Also, with both the North and the South coming together again as one country, it made the United States a more powerful country. It made the country bigger, not physically bigger but mentally bigger, like powerful and stuff. But some gains were that so much of the population of both and north and the south died. About 600,000 soldiers died on the battlefield. Plus, the soldiers who weren't killed, but injured, were probably crippled or majorly injured for life. Also, before and during the war, many farms, churches, homes, ad more were burnt down in the South, killing many and destroying marriage and birth for a lot. Over all, there were several gains and losses in the Civil War. My opinion is that all of the fighting and stuff eventually actually ended up bring the country closer.
sources: the other posts http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080407125407AAwEohX
kudos! A trustworthy blog, thanks for putting an effort to publish this information. very informative and does exactly what it sets out to do. thumbs up! :)
this helped me alot i had a paper due and this helped me out alot thank you :)
Reply
lalalu
11/26/2012 08:54:02 am
Love you alll i got an AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Reply
ss
3/17/2014 09:49:35 am
I love this website thanks
Reply
Kelly Rose
5/10/2014 03:59:36 am
Ending Slavery Cannot Be Considered a Waste
620,000 lives lost. The bloodiest war in American history. Four years of pain and suffering. These are some of the taglines often associated with the Civil War. While these taglines are correct, and while we must always consider and honor the devastation of the Civil War, they forget one key point: the Civil War directly led to the abolition of slavery in the United States. The Civil War can never be considered a waste because it led to the abolition of slavery in the United States, an end goal that proves the validity of war.
The Emancipation Proclamation, issued on January 1, 1863, demonstrates clearly the role that the Civil War played in the abolition of slavery. The Proclamation, issued via the Executive authority of President Abraham Lincoln, stated, “all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free” (Emancipation Proclamation). Lincoln used his status as President to free the slaves within the Southern states that had seceded from the Union. Crucially, this proclamation makes no mention of slavery in general and is not founded on a philosophical opinion of the morality of slavery. Indeed, slavery remained a legal practice within Union states, where approximately one million slaves remained in captivity (PBS). Rather, this proclamation appears to be grounded in military needs of the Civil War. Indeed, Lincoln’s tactic is designed to specifically weaken, and punish, the Confederate States through removing the valuable economic resource and manpower that slaves provided to the Confederate States in the early years of the war. Furthermore, Lincoln’s legal basis for the unprecedented maneuver of creating laws regarding the status of Southern slaves without Congressional approval, is rooted in his war-time powers as vested to the President in the Constitution. In the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln states that his actions are legal “by virtue of the power in me vested as Commander-in-Chief, of the Army and Navy of the United States in time of actual armed rebellion against the authority and government of the United States, and as a fit and necessary war measure for suppressing said rebellion” (Emancipation Proclamation). In addition to the clear attempt to weaken the Confederacy, Lincoln also explicitly states the military benefit to the Union of freeing Southern slaves. He explains, “And I further declare and make known, that such persons of suitable condition, will be received into the armed service of the United States to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in said service” (Emancipation Proclamation). Lincoln makes it clear that he plans to use any and all able-bodied former slaves in the Union Army. By the end of the war, over 186,000 black soldiers had fought for the Union Army, 93,000 of whom had been former slaves in the Confederate States (PBS). While the Emancipation Proclamation did not abolish slavery overall, it clearly shifted the focus of the war towards anti-slavery motives and was the precursor to the national abolition of slavery. Therefore, the Emancipation Proclamation clearly shows that the militarism of the Civil War played the crucial role in the abolition of slavery.
The Emancipation Proclamation paved the way for the overall abolition of slavery in the United States, but this goal was not achieved in 1863. Instead, in December 1865, shortly following the end of the Civil War, the United States passed the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. It reads, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction” (U.S. Constitution, 13th Amendment). This amendment formally abolished slavery in the United States for any reason other than conviction of a crime. Essentially, this amendment made slavery illegal, but allowed for imprisonment in the event of a crime. While the loss of life of the Civil War is tragic, it pales in comparison to the death toll of slaves over time in the history of the United States, a figure, which is heavily debated, but consensus shows that it numbers in the millions (Herskovits). Moving beyond simple statistics, the worth of the Thirteenth Amendment can hardly be quantified. Indeed, a price cannot be placed on the moral implications of this amendment, which finally allowed the United States to honor its intentions when it was created. Namely, the promise that all men, without any stipulation as to race, were created equal. The cost of the Civil War was great, but the return was undoubtedly greater.
While few could argue, rationally, that the abolition of slavery was anything less than a great moment in American history, some could argue that this result was possible with
Reply
Kelly Rose
5/10/2014 04:01:47 am
out such a bloody war. Indeed, many have argued that the process towards the end of slavery was well on its way, as evidenced by the 1860 election of Abraham Lincoln, a Republican president. While it is indisputable that the election of Lincoln signalled progress in an ongoing Northern push for abolition, there is no evidence that this push would have resulted in Northern abolition nor is there any evidence to suggest that Southern states were remotely close to embracing abolition. Indeed, the fact that the Southern states seceded in direct response to Lincoln’s election signals that abolition was a long way away (South Carolina). Ultimately, it is possible that abolition may have come through legislation without the need for a war, but we cannot assume that would have been the case. In fact, the secession of states following the election of a potentially anti-slavery President suggests that the nation, as a whole, was far away from the overall abolition of slavery. Without the Civil War as an impetus, who knows how many more lives would have been lost to the horrors of slavery. While abolition as a principle was more popular in 1860 than ever before, it was not five years away from happening until the Civil War provided the tipping point for abolitionist philosophy to become reality.
The fact that the Civil War had to happen in order for abolition to happen is proof that war is a more appropriate method for change than legislation. Indeed, the abolitionist movement had been ongoing for decades before the Civil War with little to no success. Several compromises and legislative maneuvers had taken place before 1861. For example, in 1820, legislators agreed upon the Missouri Compromise, which allowed Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state, while simultaneously creating Maine as a non-slave state in order to maintain a congressional balance between pro-slave states and anti-slave states (Library of Congress). When he learned of the compromise, Thomas Jefferson stated that it was “at once as the knell of the Union. It is hushed indeed for the moment. But this is a reprieve only, not a final sentence. A geographical line, coinciding with a marked principle, moral and political, once conceived and held up to the angry passions of men, will never be obliterated; and every new irritation will mark it deeper and deeper” (Library of Congress). In essence, Jefferson correctly predicted the Civil War, thereby showing the ineptitude of compromise in the effort to create change. The very nature of compromise is that it limits change to try to make all sides happy. On the contrary, war pushes change to the forefront, without consideration for politics and agendas. Indeed, legislation is powerful, but cannot stand up to the power of a war to create lasting and widespread change in society.
Overall, the evidence shows that the Civil War was the major impetus for the abolition of slavery, an end result that would have been impossible without the use of force. The four years of bloodshed were tragic and, at many points, self-destructive. However, when an extraordinary result, such as the abolition of slavery, becomes possible, it becomes not only valid, but right, for any means necessary to be used. Without the Civil War, the nation would not have had the Emancipation Proclamation. Furthermore, it may have taken decades before any legislation remotely close to the Thirteenth Amendment became a part of the legal framework of the United States. The Civil War allowed for immediate change to take place, which enhanced the moral character of the United States as a nation. Indeed, the nation needed the Civil War and, as such, it can never be deemed a waste.
Reply
jasmine
10/6/2014 08:25:11 am
the civil war was a bad thing because it caused many people to loose their life
RSS Feed