Civil War Domestic Issues

1. Civil War Domestic Issues Northern Domestic Issues – Prosperity and Expansion Morrill Tariff 1861 – Southern members left Congress and Tariff rates were raised. First to moderate Walker Tariff of 1846 levels, but then later raised sharply. Tariffs sheltered new factories Soaring Prices (inflation) hurt day laborers and white-collar workers to some extent Manufactures and Business people raked in the “fortunes of war”

2. Civil War Domestic Issues Northern Domestic Issues – Prosperity and Expansion Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862 – 30,000 acres of land each Congressional representative granted to each state. Proceeds of land sales to be used to finance public colleges National Bank Act 1863 – Stabilized Currency & replaced confusing state bank note system.

3. Civil War Domestic Issues • Civil War bred first millionaire class in America • Previously only extremely wealthy • Graft – more prevalent in North • More to steal in North • Military need and innovative machinery largely ended the production of custom tailored clothing • Graduated sizes were used for the 1st time

4. Civil War Domestic Issues • Military need and innovative machinery largely ended the production of custom tailored clothing • Graduated sizes were used for the 1st time • Mechanical Reapers – as potent as guns • Freeing farm boys to fight and feed them at the same time • Also produced vast surpluses of grain that, when sent abroad helped to dethrone “King Cotton”.

5. Civil War Domestic Issues • Population Movements • “Fifty Niners” – petroleum gushers led to rush of “Fifty – Niners” to Pennsylvania in 1859. • Birth of new industry “petroleum plutocracy” and “coal oil Johnnies”. • Southern Economy was squeezed to 2/5 its Northern counter part.

6. Civil War Domestic Issues • Population Movements • Pioneers continued to move west during the war. (300,000 people) • Magnets: • Gold nuggets • Homestead Act of 1862 – 160 acres of land virtually free to any citizen willing to occupy it for five years. • Propellant: • Federal draft agents

7. Civil War Domestic Issues • Women in the Civil War • Women to men in factory jobs • Before the war / 1 in 4 • After the war / 1 in 3 • Some followed loved ones to front lines dressed as men • Sent on spy missions • Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell (America’s first female physician) organized the U.S. Sanitary Commission

8. Civil War Domestic Issues • Women in the Civil War • Clara Barton & Dorothea Dix helped to transform nursing to a respected profession • Sally Tompkins – ran a Richmond infirmary for the Confederacy. Was given the rank of Captain by President Jefferson Davis.

9. Civil War Domestic Issues • Lincoln’s enormous political problems • Seen as inexperienced and unfit • Challenged by members of his own cabinet, (Chase and Seward)

10. Civil War Domestic Issues • Lincoln’s enormous political problems • Expansion of war powers • Call for troops to repress rebellion w/out declaration of war • Arrest of unfriendly newspaper editors • Suspension of habeas corpus • Proclamation of naval blockade w/out Congressional approval • 13,000 political opponents arrested for varying periods • Refusal to obey writ issued by Chief Justice Taney (Ex parte Merryman)

11. Civil War Domestic Issues • Lincoln’s enormous political problems • Emancipation Proclamation – January 1, 1863 • Freed only slaves behind Confederate lines, those beyond the reach of the Union Army • Won foreign support, • Outflanked the Radicals and confounded the Confederates • Gave Union soldiers the power to liberate slaves, • Enabled former slaves to serve in the Union army, • Strengthened Union’s hand

12. Civil War Domestic Issues • Lincoln’s enormous political problems • Presidential Election of 1864 • Abolitionists urged the Republicans to choose a candidate who would wage total war against the South • Lincoln chose Andrew Johnson as his running mate to attract “War Democrats” and formed the Union Party • Democrats nominated McClellan and a platform which called for a truce and settlement with the South • Lincoln once again won in the electoral college, but only had a 400,000 vote majority in the popular vote

13. Northern Foreign Issues • Relations with England • English support for the Confederacy • Upper class feared leveling effect of Union victory on English society, felt socially close to the Southern plantation aristocracy, and needed cotton • Some liberals and lower-class English favored the South, seeing the Civil War as a rebellion against Northern tyranny or as a struggle to preserve the Union

14. Northern Foreign Issues • Relations with England • English support for the Union • Many English workers favored the North because a Northern victory would mean emancipation of the slaves • Others felt western wheat was more critical to England than Southern cotton

15. Northern Foreign Issues • Relations with England • Trent Affair (November 1861) – American warships stopped a British ship and removed two Confederate diplomats. • Britain threatened war unless they were released • Sec. of State Seward ordered the men released, although Northern sentiment opposed backing down

16. Northern Foreign Issues • Relations with France • Union defeats in 1861 and 1862 convinced France that the South would win. • Lincoln delayed both France and England’s recognition of the Confederacy by issuing the Emancipation Proclamation • France placed Archduke Maximilian on the Mexican throne in challenge to Monroe Doctrine