Life During the Civil War

Plantation Life Plantations began to grow more food than cotton Changed from growing cash crops to subsistence farming (growing everything the family needs to eat) Because trade was cut off, everything had to be grown at home

Plantation Life Many shortages Coffee, tea, salt, leather, and wool were expensive and in short supply Clothing and sugar became too expensive to buy People drank coffee made from acorns, okra seeds, grits, and rye Women made trips to the ocean to boil salt water for table salt Everything had to be made on the plantation

Plantation Life Wealthy plantation owners were made officers in the Confederate Army Over 130,000 men from SC served in the army Confederate enacted a conscription (draft) “20 Slave” Exemption- anyone who owned 20 or more slaves was exempt from military service

Wade Hampton III

Plantation Life Many plantations were destroyed when Union forces marched through the South When the war ended so did slavery Many plantation owners lost their fortunes as a result

African Americans Many slaves ran away to join the Union army Some slaves remained loyal to their master Slaves forced to fight in the army were given the least desirable job

Robert Smalls Worked in Charleston as a slave Became a wheelman 1861-Smalls was made helmsman of the CSS Planter May Smalls and other slave crew members commandeered the ship and sailed for the Union blockade Turned the ship over to the US Navy Smalls became a captain in the US Navy Served in US House of Representatives after the war

Women Women moved into positions they were not previously allowed to occupy Many held the sole responsibility of the plantation Women managed farms, slaves, worked in fields and in factories Made clothes and blankets for the family and the soldiers Women also worked as nurses, teachers, or spies Organized fundraisers or set up aid societies that provided supplies for the soldiers

Children Children were expected to work at the house School and church did not meet as often Taught to do difficult jobs at a young age Many children died from starvation due to lack of food and supplies

Confederate Soldiers Most Confederate soldiers were from the South. Most of them grew up in rural areas and had worked on farms. Many Confederate soldiers had no formal military training but had experience hunting and could handle a gun. For most of the war, they were very motivated to fight. Four out of five white males from the Confederacy fought during the war because the population in the Confederacy was much smaller than the Union. Fighting became very difficult when supplies such as food, clothing, and weapons became very limited.

Union Soldiers Most Union soldiers were from the North. Most of them grew up around large cities such as New York, Philadelphia, and Boston and were used to working in factories and manufacturing plants. They had better access to supplies such as food, clothing, and weapons because of the industry in the North.