Overview
This section covers how the Civil War changed into a total, drawn-out conflict by 1863, focusing on political, economic, and social shifts in both the Union and Confederacy, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the war’s turning points.
The Changing Nature of the War
- By 1863, the Civil War became a war of attrition, with both sides aiming to outlast each other.
- The war turned into a total war, mobilizing all resources, soldiers, and civilians on both sides.
- Both Union and Confederacy instituted a military draft due to waning volunteer enthusiasm.
- Both sides suspended habeas corpus, allowing the imprisonment of anti-war critics without trial.
Economic Strains and Policies
- The Confederacy faced severe inflation from printing money, leading to starvation and riots.
- The South hoped foreign cotton sales would fund the war, but Britain and France found other sources.
- The Confederacy failed to gain foreign recognition or aid.
- The Union passed the Homestead Act (land for settlers) and Morrill Act (funds for agriculture colleges).
- The National Bank Acts created war bonds and introduced the greenback currency, causing limited inflation.
The Role of Women and Society
- Total war required women to take on greater roles in farms, businesses, and nursing.
- Women’s participation in nursing, led by figures like Dorothea Dix, became widely accepted.
Slavery and Emancipation
- Initially, Lincoln did not aim to abolish slavery but shifted his stance as the war continued.
- Runaway slaves joined Union armies and were termed "contraband," with fugitive slave laws increasingly ignored.
- The Confiscation Act allowed Union forces to seize slaves from the Confederacy.
- The Emancipation Proclamation (issued after Antietam) freed slaves in rebelling states as of January 1, 1863, changing the war’s purpose to abolishing slavery.
- Slavery in Union border states was not affected by the proclamation.
Social Tensions and War Opposition
- The New York City draft riots of 1863 demonstrated Northern resistance to the draft and emancipation.
- Rioters targeted African Americans and Republican institutions, resulting in significant violence.
Key Military Events
- Union captured key Southern cities, New Orleans (1862) and Vicksburg (gaining control of the Mississippi River).
- The Battle of Gettysburg (July 1863) marked the war’s turning point; the Confederacy’s defeat ended its northern invasion hopes.
- Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address, redefining the war's meaning as a fight for a "new birth of freedom."
Key Terms & Definitions
- Attrition — a strategy to win a war by wearing down the enemy's resources and will to fight.
- Total War — a conflict involving the complete mobilization of a society’s resources for war.
- Draft — mandatory military service.
- Habeas Corpus — legal protection against unlawful imprisonment; suspended during the war.
- War Bonds — government-issued debt sold to finance the war.
- Greenbacks — paper currency printed by the Union during the war.
- Contraband — term for escaped slaves who sought refuge with Union forces.
- Confiscation Act — law allowing the Union to seize Confederate property, including slaves.
- Emancipation Proclamation — Lincoln’s 1863 decree freeing slaves in Confederate-held territory.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the effects of total war and key wartime legislation (Homestead, Morrill, and National Bank Acts).
- Study the causes and impact of the Emancipation Proclamation and the Battle of Gettysburg.
- Read about the New York City draft riots for understanding Northern home front tensions.