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What Problems Did The North Face In The Civil War Essay

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Though the North and South, or the Union and Confederacy, didn’t share views on slavery, they did share the problems they faced during the Civil War. Each side reacted to their problems differently, the North placing emphasis on taxes and the South on cotton. The problems they faced were not only affected by how they reacted but also by the battles they fought and won. Through some of the most significant battles fought and reactions had, the paths of victory and defeat were paved for each side to follow. Though the North and South were fighting for different causes they both experienced some common problems. Many of the problems faced were because of the expensiveness of the war. The war was even referred to as a rich man’s war fought by …show more content…

The North began to react to their problems by enforcing many different taxes, sales taxes, federal income taxes, and acts, many that included tariffs. They also welcomed women into the workforce to continue factory and governmental work as the men went off to war. The South, however, reacted to their problems by producing cotton in abundance in belief that Europe would rely on them for cotton, which in turn would help their financial situation and hopefully lead to the South’s recognition as a sovereign nation. They also sought the help from states to enforce taxes that would help the federal government but many governors refused to tax their people until it was too late in 1863. With their failure to fix their financial problems, the South saw an inflation of 9000% compared to the North’s inflation of 80%. To help with their lack of manpower they enforced a draft, and with the draft they allowed paid substitutes so owners, of slaves, could watch over their slaves, which did not seem to help with the lack of …show more content…

One of the first battles of the war was at Bull Run, this was eye opening for both sides, bringing to light the need to be prepared, for the North, and staying prepared after losing deserting soldiers, for the South who won the battle. The Battle of Shiloh, with the win going to the Union due to Ulysses S. Grant’s counterattack, was significant because it confirmed that the war, in the West, would not come to a quick end. The Union win at the Battle of Antietam served as the jumping-off point for the emancipation of the slaves, leading to the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. With the Confederate win at the Battle of Chancellorsville, the Union General Joseph Hooker was injured and replaced by George G. Meade, who took a stand, with his troops, on top of low ridge near Gettysburg, leading to the Battle of Gettysburg. The significance of the Battle of Gettysburg was that it was the northernmost point reached by any substantial Confederate force and was the Confederate’s last real chance of winning the war, but the win went to the Union. The Union victory at the Battle of Vicksburg led to the union control of the Mississippi and the end of foreign help to the

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