Discuss The Role Of Minority Groups In The Civil War

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The Civil War was one of the bloodiest wars in U.S. history. Numerous people sacrificed their lives for either the Union or the Confederacy. Minority groups played a significant role in this war because around 40% of the North were minority groups and about 30% of the South. During the Civil War, Black soldiers reassembled to the Union, Hispanics fought for both sides, and American Indians acted as scouts, all playing crucial roles in the outcome. One of the key groups were Black soldiers who joined the North’s cause, and this upset the South. In 1862 Abraham Lincoln, the president, made it legal for African Americans to enlist in the war, one year later black men were also authorized. Soon after 200,000 black soldiers were in the army, but were getting …show more content…
When the war was in action, African Americans began to abandon their owners and find shelter behind state lines. Over 10,000 had crossed this border and this was a new symbol of freedom. Hispanics, some with deep roots in the US and others who were newer arrivals, faced the tough choice of siding with the Union or the Confederacy.

By the end of the war, more than 20,000 Hispanics participated in this bloody war. Thousands of Hispanic civilians lent a hand on the battlefield and in their homes. Many Hispanics in the North decided to become soldiers, thinking it was the quickest way to become more American. Many of the Hispanics did not serve as soldiers, but as sailors. American Indians joined the fight, hoping that by helping the winning side, they might gain or get back some of their land. Many of the American Indian tribes tried to