Why the South never had a chance to win the Civil War
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North had a significant industrial advantage in iron, textiles, coal and weapons.
North had an advantage in RR mileage.
North had more shipyards and superior naval capacity
North had an established governments with an executive with extensive powers
(Jefferson Davis’ powers were limited by states’ rights element in CSA
Constitution)
North had extensive banking and finance advantage
Slave population in South represented potential 5th Column
Abolitionist movements in England and France would keep those countries from
supporting the South
Why the South could have won the Civil War
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Fighting to defend homeland
Defensive war- all South had to do was hang on long enough to exhaust the
North’s public support for the war
Superior military leaders
War unpopular in many northern regions ie: Copperheads
History shows that wars for independence can be won against overwhelming
odds ie: American Revolution.
France and England sympathetic to the Southern cause- both countries wanted to
hinder the growing power of the U.S.
King Cotton could be used as financial and political leverage
After reading Chapters 19 and 20 (American Pageant) and reviewing the comparison
above, develop an outline of rebuttals for each bullet point in preparation for a class
debate.