Strengths and Weaknesses of the Union and Confederacy

North and South Differences and Strongholds

                                        Source: www.civilwar.org

At the time of the Civil war, the North had the largest population and an industrial economy, which attributed to a much higher GDP than the South. The North had the power to manufacture arms and ammunition, and the navy to block the South's trade routes. On the other hand, the North had the difficult military objective of invading the unfamiliar South. All the Confederacy had to do was sufficiently defend their land. Additionally, they lacked an espirit de corps until after the Emancipation Proclamation when abolishing slavery became a common goal. Moreover, the North was fighting for a more selfless purpose, whereas the South was fighting for their home and "property." Almost 80% of the railroads were in Union territory.The South could produce enough food to sustain their army, but lacked the railroad system to transport it. In the North, President Lincoln managed to weaponize the vast railroad system by using it as an effective military transport and a telegraph communication network. At the beginning of the war the Confederacy lacked the industry to arm their military, but by the end of the war the were many armories were established and this problem was resolved.

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Source:www.socialstudieswithasmile.com