Life During the Civil War
During the time of civil war in the United States, there was much political unrest in the North and the South. Due to the heavy casualties and desertions in the war, a conscription or draft was enforced to make men go to war. However, there were large riots in the North over the draft and a huge amount of violence in New York City.
African Americans made up 1% of the North population, but 180,000 of them went to war in the Union Army. They made up about 10% of the Northern forces. However, they suffered intense discrimination, were put into separate regiments led by white men, and earned lower wages.
Soldiers in both the North and South believed that they would march off to a glorious battlefield and were in for a big shock. Not only were there many casualties but the conditions they had to live in were terrible. They had filthy surroundings, a limited diet, and inadequate medical care. By the 1860’s the technology to kill was growing far faster than the technology to heal. When the soldiers weren’t fighting they were prone to body lice, dysentery, and diarrhea. The Confederate camps were even worse. They were overcrowded and unsanitary. There was a lack of food and shelter. The Northern prison camps were only a little bit be
tter with more room and adequate food portions. Thousands of Confederate prisoners still died of pneumonia.
During the war, women were not allowed to fight but helped out as nurses. There were about 3,000 women as nurses in the civil war. For example, Clara Barton felt she was inclined to care to the sick and wounded, even if it meant going to the front lines of battle. She eventually founded the American Red Cross to aid people all over the world.
The economies of both sides were very different. The North flourished with the demand for supplies helping industry to grow. The South was crushed due to a food shortage, union occupation, and loss of enslaved workers. In order for the government to pay for the war, they looked to the North to provide income taxes.
Life during the civil war was very tough with the loss and the pain. Our only hope now is that it never happens again.
During the time of civil war in the United States, there was much political unrest in the North and the South. Due to the heavy casualties and desertions in the war, a conscription or draft was enforced to make men go to war. However, there were large riots in the North over the draft and a huge amount of violence in New York City.
African Americans made up 1% of the North population, but 180,000 of them went to war in the Union Army. They made up about 10% of the Northern forces. However, they suffered intense discrimination, were put into separate regiments led by white men, and earned lower wages.
Soldiers in both the North and South believed that they would march off to a glorious battlefield and were in for a big shock. Not only were there many casualties but the conditions they had to live in were terrible. They had filthy surroundings, a limited diet, and inadequate medical care. By the 1860’s the technology to kill was growing far faster than the technology to heal. When the soldiers weren’t fighting they were prone to body lice, dysentery, and diarrhea. The Confederate camps were even worse. They were overcrowded and unsanitary. There was a lack of food and shelter. The Northern prison camps were only a little bit be
tter with more room and adequate food portions. Thousands of Confederate prisoners still died of pneumonia.During the war, women were not allowed to fight but helped out as nurses. There were about 3,000 women as nurses in the civil war. For example, Clara Barton felt she was inclined to care to the sick and wounded, even if it meant going to the front lines of battle. She eventually founded the American Red Cross to aid people all over the world.
The economies of both sides were very different. The North flourished with the demand for supplies helping industry to grow. The South was crushed due to a food shortage, union occupation, and loss of enslaved workers. In order for the government to pay for the war, they looked to the North to provide income taxes.
Life during the civil war was very tough with the loss and the pain. Our only hope now is that it never happens again.
By: Kellie
9.18.2009
Really nicely put together except for a few grammar errors in the beginning.
ReplyDeleteThis was really well written. It's a very informative summary in terms of the types of living conditions people faced in the Civil War. The pictures in between the writing made it more reader friendly. Good job.
ReplyDeleteVery good information, I felt you covered a lot yet managed to keep it short and clear. Nice perspective.
ReplyDeleteVery well done, there was alot of details. Alot of good examples of what was going on and dates. Also i liked the how you ended it with women and the women who helped as a nurse. very good pictures and well done.
ReplyDeleteI like this posting because of how well the story flowed from one concept, the discrimination of African Americans to the unsanitary environment they had to stay in as well as the work environment for the female nurses. A lot of really good details are inserted. GOOD JOB!
ReplyDelete