THE CIVIL WAR
STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH
Victoria Epstein, Maegan Miciotta, Jackie Gruber
ADVANTAGES IN THE NORTH
Population
-The Union had 23 states, and nearly 22 million people
-More people to participate in army
-had more workers to take over the jobs of soldiers
 Industry
-had 90% of the nation’s industry
-produced weapons and war supplies
-more urbanized areas, better technology
-Crops more edible, compared to Southern cotton
-most metal and coal deposits found in the north
 Transportation
-Large Navy and Foil Ships
-used strategic blockades to divide the south
-70% of railroad lines transport food and troops
 Union had U.S. army, experience

DISADVANTAGES IN NORTH
 unfamiliar
territory
 long distances to travel
 Due to large areas of land, it took more
time and effort to get troops and supplies
to their army
 Emancipation Proclamation changed
purpose of War from preserving the Union
to abolishing slavery.
ADVANTAGES IN SOUTH
Motivation
-Fighting took place on their own territory, familiar
lands
-Fought for their independence, psychological advantage
-Easier to get volunteers, more will to fight
 Possibility of alliance with European Powers (Britain
and France)
 Training
-Robert E. Lee, skilled military leader

DISADVANTAGES IN SOUTH
Population
-Limited number of people to fight in the army
-only 11 Confederate States and 9 million people.
-Of those people, about one third were enslaved
 Southern militia volunteers were mostly farmers,
with an extreme lack of experience
 Few railroads, making transportation difficult
 Few factories to produce weapons and war supplies.
 Attempt by Southerners to gain European support
failed
 Lack of edible crops
-cotton was the main focus of their industry
 Loss of morale by the end of the war

WHY WAS THE WAR SO LONG?
Food
-Technological advancements such as iron and steel plows,
seed drills, cultivators, and mechanical reapers and threshers
allowed for a dramatic increase in agricultural production
-Soldiers could be supplied with more food for longer periods
of time, without the concern of starvation on the home front
-In the last year of the war, as food production started to be
come an issue, many soldiers began to return home to support
their families. The lack of men in the army helped to wrap up
the war
 Fighting delayed during winter months due to the difficulty
transporting weapons and supplies
 Had to draft soldiers, lack of volunteers
 At times, the war became a stalemate, because each side
was fighting to wear down the other.

WORKS CITED PAGE
http://teachinghistory.org/history-content/ask-ahistorian/24413
 http://www.ushistory.org/us/33b.asp
 http://www.civilwar.org/resources/confederatestates-had-many.html
 http://quizlet.com/562389/strengths-andweaknesses-north-and-south-civil-war-flashcards/
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