Civil War North Vs South

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North vs. South At the beginning of 1861, the Civil War was about to ignite in America. The North and South were on the brink of fighting over their differences, but they were similar in more ways than one might think. Both sides possessed clear political, economical, social, and military strengths, but also had weaknesses that hindered them as well. The United States was not fighting other countries, but rather fighting one another. The North and South began as a united nation, but over time they both carved separate paths for themselves with diverse ideas of the course that each region should go. ("North and South: Different Cultures, Same Country"). Economically speaking, both the North and the South had their advantages and disadvantages. …show more content…
The North manufactured 97 percent of the country’s firearms, which meant the South did not produce firearms. The additives needed to create gunpowder were imported from overseas. This allowed the Union to have control of the navy, and they used the sea to their advantage. ("Strengths and Weaknesses: North Vs. South [ushistory.org]"). The North was better prepared for the war due to the better equipment and supplies needed to fight in a war("Civil War - The North & South"). The South on the other were unable to produce the weapons needed to fight in the war. They did not have the industrial technology needed to create such firearms. While the South seemed to be weak due to their lack of firearms,the South possessed a secret weapon, trained officers. The South had advancing officers such as Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee In Text: ("Civil War - The North & South").The North did not have as many trained and skilled officers leading their army and it turned into a downfall for the North. Many African American soldiers became a part of the South’s military. This gave the South a greater determination to win because slaves wanted to win their citizenship. The South also had the advantage of fighting on their own territory; the soldiers did not have to use their energy to travel ("Civil War - The North & South"). In 1862, Congress created the first draft in America. For three years men had to serve in the military. This helped the Civil War as a whole. Planters that had more than twenty slaves were exempt from the draft. Men could pay to have someone replace them in battle. Either way the armies gained more troops to