How was the Southern economy at the start of the US Civil War?

Answer 1

The economy decreased greatly due to the lack of new slaves, and the trade blockade by the North. Also, as a large number of the South's men became soldiers, they no longer contributed to the civilian workforce.

Answer 2

The Confederacy had economic problems during the Civil War. At first these problems were screwed by the cotton production of the South in 1860. At that time, two thirds of the world's cotton was exported from the South. As it happened, the British Empire imported 75 % of its cotton from the South. Problems surfaced when Britain had acquired a cotton surplus during the first part of the Civil War. This was damaging to the South's economy. Additional facts about how the war affected the economics of the South are:

A. The Union blockade of major Confederate seaports hindered trade for the South;

B. As a mostly agricultural region, the Confederacy lacked the industrial resources of the North and had to make due with what it could; and

C. Most of the battles of the US Civil War took place in the South. This left plantations, industries, and other property to be destroyed as the war extended into 1865.

Answer 3

In 1860, the Southern states and the border states all had a strong economy. This is also try for the Union states. If the Southern economy was weak, then there would be little chance that secession could even be considered. Without a strong economy, the South would have been unable to buy all the military equipment and warships that it did buy. As an aside, a hypothetical can be entertained. If in 1860, the industrial North was in a severe recession, and the South, earning funds from selling its cash crops, was in the midst of a healthy and growing economy, the Union very likely would have let the South go. This is not far-fetched. Even under the good economic conditions of the North, one of Winfield's recommendations was to let the Southern states go there own way.

Also, in that capacity, slavery would, as an economic necessity, simply would have dissolved. To continue as a nation with only a farm economy would have been impossible. With the ever present threat of Great Britain or France, it is not unconceivable that the South and North would have been united.

Answer 4

The Southern economy in 1861 had to be adjusted to meet the pressures of holding off the powerful Union armies and their industrial base that supplied them with war supplies and also continued to produce consumer goods.With that said, the South created government owned munitions factories, to keep their army supplied. The South also had to begin building a navy as they had none. This diverted workers to building warships in dangerous areas.

The Union blockade of its port cities, forced limits on their ability to export and import goods.

Despite the Union's best efforts, many privateers were successful in eluding the Union blockades.

With all that said, the Southern economy did its best to modestly industrialize. It remained an agrarian economy on an overall basis.

As the war progressed, the strain on the Southern economy was too much and by late 1864, the economy was in a state of ruin.

Answer 5

Strong, but it was based on the of cotton export to Europe and the Union blockade quickly eliminated that rvenue source.

Answer 6

A lot better then the Southern economy. They had most of the roads, train tracks and buissnesses