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Robert SlipkovichAMH 2010-010Professor IngramApril 19, 2010The Civil War: Societal Change and AwakeningThroughout history, many battles and wars have been fought for both conquest and power. TheCivil War was spawned from a bitter dispute over territorial expansion, slavery, and the cash crop of theSouth: cotton. President elect, Abraham Lincoln, wanted to maintain unity throughout all states butsouthern secession would ultimately create a troubling conflict throughout the country. Social changesthroughout the Antebellum and Civil War period created opportunity and hope throughout a time of trouble.The South was a region with roots that were highly involved in cotton growth and sale. As plantations grew, so did the necessity for labor and harvesting of this important and profitable crop.Slavery was a very simple and efficient means of populating fertile, cotton-growing land in order tocreate vast amounts of revenue for plantation owners. Due to tariffs on exports by England, cotton prices greatly fell in southern states, thus leading to an even greater need for fast and efficient cotton production (A People and a Nation 224). Slave ships were landing on the Atlantic coast with hundredsof slaves for sale to southern farmers. The slaves were often worked for hours on end and had limitedrights. When questioned about a common day's work, Harry McMillan (former slave),mentioned,”Under old secesh times [we worked] every morning till night – beginning at daylight andcontinuing till 5 or 6 at night”(Hollitz 227). The notion of slavery as a means of business andownership was a strong point for disdain felt by northerners. Northern lands were often the “light at theend of the tunnel” for many slaves. As a former slave, Henry Bibb created a letter to his former master regarding his new northern lifestyle: “As it was the custom of your country, to treat your fellow men asyou did me and my little family, I can freely forgive you” (Hollitz 231). Bibb's sarcastic tone was

echoed throughout many free black slaves due to a life of torment and anguish from their masters. Northern ideology on slavery was led by Abraham Lincoln who mentioned that territories were to behomes of “free white people” and that slavery is problematic to this idea (A People and a Nation 364). Northern anti-slavery supporters, such as John Brown, had orchestrated slave uprisings and rebellionsas a means to cause uproar and attention to such a justified cause. In a nearly telepathic reading at thegallows, John Brown stated that slavery would not disappear without bloodshed (A People and a Nation365). This prediction would ultimately come true when northern and southern ideals would clash andthe start of the Civil War would begin in 1861.Although young soldiers and supporters of the North and South were men, women served animportant role on the home front. After the second Great Awakening, women had become more vocaland much more involved in gaining rights and opportunities (A People and a Nation 312). Although itwas widely believed that women should have more opportunity, many female authors and commoncitizens felt that a traditional life as a house keeper was the best lifestyle for women. According toMrs. A.J. Graves, “Our chief aim throughout these pages is to prove that her domestic duties have a paramount claim over everything else upon her attention – that home is her appropriate sphere of action” (Hollitz 253). The necessity to make the home a domain for women was a common practiceand something that wasn't questioned until this time period.Besides the home, the textile factory was a newly created opportunity for women to encounter.An unpublished letter sent to the

Lowell Offering

described factory life for women in these factories:“Incarcerated within the walls of a factory, while as yet mere children – drilled from five till seveno'clock, year after year” (Hollitz 257). Besides life at home and work, women had also taken part inanti-slavery efforts. Harriet Tubman escorted hundreds of African slaves into a life of freedom by theuse of her “

Underground Railroad

” (A People and a Nation 355). The escape aid that was given toslaves had given Harriet Tubman notoriety as an abolitionist, as well as a prominent woman during thistime. Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin which described the rigors and perils of slave

life. This novel exposed the neglect and racism that echoed throughout the North in addition to the evileffects that slavery had placed on society (A People and a Nation 355). Another important female whohad morphed society in the mid 1800's was Sojourner Truth. Her “

A'n't I a Woman

” speech had createdcogent reasoning to the equality that men and women shared by stating, “Look at me! Look at my arm!I have plowed, and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me – and a'n't' I awoman?” (Hollitz 259). Sojourner Truth responded in a strong and powerful message of societieslongtime control over women and how opportunities should be equal. Although rapid female changehad been in progress throughout the Antebellum and Civil War period, major steps towards feminismand woman's rights began to take shape.With any war or battle comes a great economic burden which is typically substantial. Whether itis the country itself, or the inhabitants who are swept into the wrath of combat, economic failure and problems were a large burden for many citizens during the war. Men and boys from all walks of lifehad been extinguished from their day-to-day duties and enlisted to fight for their beliefs. According to“

A People and a Nation

”, “The South was in many places so sparsely populated that the conscription of one craftsman could wreak hardship on an entire country” (382). Along with the loss of skilledcraftsmen and laborers came an astronomical inflation level due to South's need for money to supplythe war. Clearly in shambles, the lower and middle class suffered due to the poor economic decisions by the elites in the Confederate hierarchy (A People and a Nation 382). On the other hand, the Northhad proposed the nation's first income tax which generated a great deal of revenue throughout the war.This tax would finance the millions of weapons and ammunition which were necessary for the North todefeat it's counterpart. Inflation was another economic downfall of this time period which causedtrouble for the North. Prices had increased by a higher percent than what wages were increased by; thismonetary problem was the root of the “standard of living” problems in the North (A People and a Nation 384).