Nash Chapter 15 Questions

1. The strengths for the north include a better navy, bigger population, and better industry. The north had a population of about 22 million whites while the south only had about 5.5 million whites. The north also had a better navy and fleet of ships. They also had the majority of the industry because the south only focused on the production of cotton and draft animals. The strengths of the south were few but include better military training and all the south had to do was suffer until the north gave up. The north also had a better railway system. The south had 7 out of 8 military colleges at the time so they had better trained soldiers. If the south could suffer and hold on to the south as long as they could, all they had to do was wait for the north to give up fighting.

3. The south had many dramatic changes. They made a government to hold together their new “country.” They also started the war fighting to preserve slavery but ended the war contemplating emancipation of the slaves. The agriculture of the south also changed during the war. Before the war, they were more focused on the cotton and tobacco markets to exporting it to the north or other countries. After the war, they were more focused on the production of food because they had gotten most of their food imported from the north. They also relied on imported goods from foreign countries but the Union blockade during the war changed that. Due to the Union blockade, the south expanded the military related industries. Industrial worker numbers rose dramatically so at the end of the war, soldiers were more supplied with arms and munitions than with food. The one thing that didn’t change though, is the southern class structure but the relations between them began to change.

The north also had changes, though not so dramatic. With the necessity of feeding soldiers, the north expanded agriculture and increased investments in farm machinery to help the farmers when they were short-handed. They also had a...