Civil War Homefront North and South

Northern Economy Growth of Industry: Weapons Textiles Railroads Iron Pacific Railway Act (1862): first trans-continental RR Mechanization for farm and factory: Out-produced South in both areas

Northern Economy (continued) Financing the war: Revenue Act of 1862: 1st income tax Legal Tender Act (1862): print $430 million in “greenbacks”

Southern Economy South still believes in “King Cotton” Trent Affair War ravages many states Slaves escaping/being taken by Union armies Union blockade was devastating South gets poorer, North actually gets richer

Southern Economy (continued) Financing the war: War Tax (1861): property, including slaves “Tax in Kind” (1863): statewide tax on agriculture Money supply increased by 20 times by 1864

Women and Children in the South Men and slaves gone, women in charge Inflation & blockade lead to huge shortages: Richmond Bread Riots, 1863 Union armies target farms/plantations War losses touch everyone in the South

Southern Conscription Conscription passed in 1862 All males 18-35 Later expanded to 17-50 Exemptions available Draft will be resented by poor, white farmers and “states’ righters”

Northern Conscription Conscription passed in 1863 All men 20-45 Draft used when states couldn’t meet “quotas” Men could hire substitutes or pay commutation money

New York City Draft Riots (July 13-16, 1863) Resentment builds among working class and poor Anger explodes into deadly protests in NYC: Draft officers & African-Americans attacked Buildings looted and burned Gov. sends in 4,000 troops 120 civilians killed, 11 blacks lynched, 50 buildings destroyed

Women and Children in the North Volunteer as nurses Took jobs in mines, mills, and munitions plants Allegheny Arsenal Disaster (Sept. 17, 1862) Ran businesses and farms

The “Threat” of Peace in the North “Copperheads”-Peace Democrats who despised Lincoln and “abolitionism” Will nominate George McClellan in 1864 Many Democrats called for peace negotiations by 1862

African-American Soldiers First attempts in New Orleans and Kansas 54th Massachusetts: formed in Feb. 1863 Confederates issued orders to enslave or execute black POW’s First lead attack: Assault on Battery Wagner, July 18th, 1863 180,000 black troops eventually served