Assess the following military revolution: US Civil War
Assess the following military revolution: US Civil War. The United States’ civil war began in 1861 following decades of increased tensions between the southern and northern states. The tensions were caused by the disagreements over states’ rights and slavery. The conflict is the deadliest war fought in the country as it left approximately 620,000 soldiers dead and millions of soldiers and civilians injured.[1] The civil war which progressed to total war was shaped by industrial and managerial revolution, mass politics and government financing. These aspects were influenced by social, political and economic factors.
To begin with, the industrial and managerial revolution changed the United States in unimagined ways and brought about events that intensified the conflict between the northern and southern states. The United States’ industrial revolution changed the country’s social, political and economic institutions. The industrialization brought about immense social, political and economic change that increased conflicts in the country. The industrial and managerial revolution clashed with the preexisting agricultural based culture.[2] The industrial changes affected the social sphere immensely. The industrialization began to challenge the long held traditions among the citizens. Industrialization brought about changes in the dynamics of gender and class.
Also, the economic sphere of the country was affected by the revolution. As industrialization rose, the agricultural sector was rivaled in terms of economic prowess and population growth. As a result, conflicts regarding the economic resources rose. The conflict over economic resources changed the confrontation from a social one to a political one. The individuals supporting the industrialization had similar political and social views and came together to oppose the slavery practiced by the southerners. In an attempt to maintain their political power and economy, politicians from the south strived to add more states to the slave based economy.[3] However, the southern politicians realized that they could not overpower their opponents and seceded from the union. The secession increased the conflicts between the south and north spheres.
Additionally, the industrial revolution impacted the warfare once the civil war began. Industrialization changed how the war was fought. Technological advancements provided weapons and tools that intensified the war. Soldiers from the north enjoyed more technological advancements than those from the south thus changing the nature of the warfare. Improvement in transportation brought about by the railroad made the transportation of soldiers and weapons faster. The extent of the civil war can be attributed to the industrial and managerial revolution of the 19th century.
Assess the following military revolution: US Civil War
Further, the American civil war was uniquely marked by mass politics. The early 19th century saw a shift in politics in the United States. During this time, the opinion of the common man was put into consideration thus encouraging mass politics in the country. The mass political parties that emerged during this period spanned the South- North divide. The northern politicians were pushing to abolish slavery while the southern politicians wanted to maintain their power and the slavery based economy.[4] The supremacy battle between the pro- slavery ideology centered in the south and the anti-slavery ideology in the north was a significant factor in the political life of the United States.
Additionally, the mass politics which caused the civil war were shaped by strong economic factors. Towards the end of the 18th century, slavery was becoming unprofitable and cumbersome to many farmers. The unprofitability and burdensomeness of slavery encouraged the opponents of slave based economy to fight the vice in the south. Those opposed to slavery argued that the problems of the slave based economy could be eliminated by a shift to a free labor economy. However, the economic revolution in the north as a result of cotton farming encouraged the southerners to fight to maintain the slavery based economy.[5] By continuing with the slave based economy, the southerners thought that they would be able to maintain their political power.
Also, the mass politics witnessed prior and during the American civil war were shaped by strong social factors. As the mass political movements intensified, the America society began to change. The citizens enjoyed more social equality than before. This change had a significant impact on the way people perceived their political leaders and other social issues within the society such as slavery. The mass political movement helped break the roots of slavery.
Assess the following military revolution: US Civil War. Further, the civil war was shaped by government financing. The north and south ideologies influenced the policy makers’ preferences for financial policies. Political differences had seen the southern sphere secede from the union. Both the north and south governments mobilized their armed forces and financed their military strategies effectively. Each side of the political divide attempted to prove its political prowess.
Assess the following military revolution: US Civil War. Also, economic factors influenced how the two governments financed their military strategies. The southern frontier chose to fund its military relying exclusively on inflation financing. [6] This attempt to fund the war was inadequate and short term oriented. The approach jeopardized the war efforts and also the economy during and after the war. On the other hand, the north government funded the war using tax revenues, loans and notes.[7] The northern government was more successful in funding the civil war because of its economic capability. Likewise, social factors impacted how the two governments financed the civil war. Each government attempted to meet the needs of the civilians. The southern government increased inflation to oppose the abolition of slavery to meet the demands of the civilians.
Moreover, the American civil war is labeled as a total war because of its intensity, scope of conflict and involvement of civilian and government forces. The severity of the war had massive social impacts on the populations. The war brought about immense destruction to civilians and soldiers. The civilians were heavily hit because no line was drawn between soldiers and civilians.[8] Everyone was a target in the conflict. The civilians were often attacked during the war to extract victory. The conflict impacted relationships between friends, neighbors and relatives.
Also, the civil war had massive economic impacts as the country’s resources were utilized in the war. Tax revenues, loans, notes and inflation were used by the governments to finance the war. During the war, there was unrestricted use of resources and weapons.[9] Likewise, the political environment led to the intensity and scope of the conflict. The northern sphere employed strong measures to eradicate slavery in the south. On the other hand, the southern government employed a rigorous approach to protect their slave based economy. The civil war is considered a total war because the soldiers comprised of citizens who joined the war to defend the interest of their individual nations. As a result, the war took place both in the battle field and in the homes. The civil war was influenced by several factors including industrial and managerial revolution, mass politics and government financing. Industrial revolution made a considerable stir in the United States. Social, political and economic factors impacted the civil war. The civil war changed the way that wars are fought. Invention of technologies such as the railroad and telegraph during the war changed how wars were fought. During the civil war, new weapons such as the repeating rifle were developed. These weapons were more effective and easier to use.
[1] History, “Civil war,” 2018, https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/american-civil-war-history.
[2] Gray, Corey Patrick, “Industrial Modernization and the American Civil War,” Florida State University Libraries, 2015, https://diginole.lib.fsu.edu/islandora/object/fsu:253076/datastream/PDF/view.
[3] Gray, Industrial Modernization and the American Civil War, 3.
[4] Fernee, Tadd Graham, “The American Civil War as a Social Revolution: The Enlightenment, Providential Consciousness and Changes in Moral Perception”, English Studies at New Bulgarian University, 1, no.1, 2015, 80 -96, http://esnbu.org/data/files/2015/2015-1-7-fernee-pp80-96.pdf.
[5] Fernee, the American Civil War as a Social Revolution, 83.
[6] Razaghian, Rose, “Financial Civil War: The Confederacy’s Financial Policies, 1861-1864”, Yale ICF Working Paper, no. 04-45, n.d, 1-46, https://economics.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Workshops-Seminars/Economic-History/razaghian-050914.pdf.
[7] Razaghian, “Financial Civil War: The Confederacy’s Financial Policies, 1.
[8] Yale University, The Civil War as Total War, 2018, http://exhibits.library.yale.edu/exhibits/show/ourmotherssons/totalwar.
[9] Yale University, The Civil War as Total War