The North had several advantages over the South but at the outbreak of the American Civil War the Union’s victory was unsure. The Confederacy had several factors in its favor as well and the outcome of the war could have been different as well despite the North’s advantage in population.
The greatest advantage of the North in the American Civil War was undoubtedly its numerical superiority. The Union states had a total population of 19 million, while the South had a population of 9 million. In addition, slaves represented as much as one third of total population (3,5 million) in Confederate states. The North could also recruit another 3 million people from the loyal slave states, thousands of European immigrants and escaped slaves, and later slaves who were freed by the Emancipation Proclamation that was proclaimed by Abraham Lincoln in 1862 and granted freedom to 3,1 million of slaves. However, the ability of the Union generals to turn the advantage in population in their favor was crucial.
Another major advantage of the North were excellent railroad links that enabled fast transportation of the troops and supply. In addition, the Union had the monopoly in shipping and complete control over the Navy that enabled the North to control the rivers as well as to impose an effective naval blockade on the Confederacy coastline preventing both import and export of goods and weaponry. The South initially even accepted the naval blockade hoping that shortage of cotton in Europe will provoke the European intervention. However, Europe had enough cotton at the time of the outbreak of the American Civil War and later replaced it with cotton from Egypt and India. Even more, Europe has had poor harvest in the 1860′s which is why the Northern crops were far more important than Southern cotton to all European powers.
The Northern politicians were very well aware of the danger of potential European intervention in the war and launched a diplomatic campaign as well in order to force Britain and France into non-interventionist policy. Finally, the European powers were not particularly thrilled about supporting the institution of slavery and preferred the status quo.
The Northern industrialized economy has played an important role in the outcome of the American Civil War as well. The Northern industry supplied the army all the supplies needed including weaponry and food, while the predominantly rural Confederate states did not have the facilities required for mass weapon production and had great difficulties in supplying their forces due to poor rail infrastructure.
After the Union’s victory in the Battle of Atlanta and Lincoln’s re-election as the President of the United States in 1864, the Union virtually won the American Civil War.
You can read more about Civil War on author’s World History Online website.
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