Life during the American civil war

The story of the American civil war 

The American civil war began in April 1861 and came to an end in May 1865. Its main reason had been the tensions between the North and the South since the 1850s. The North mainly wanted to abolish slavery while the South's economy relied on it. In November 1860, Abraham Lincoln became the 16th US president despite none of the southern states voting for him. Feeling that they will not be represented and that their right to hold slaves is in jeopardy, 7 southern states declared their independence from the United States and formed " the Confederate States of America ". Those states were: South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia and Texas. Later on, when the civil war started, Tennessee, Arkansas, Virginia and North Carolina joined the Confederacy. The remaining states of the country will be now known as the Union. Over the course of 4 years, many battles had been fought which resulted in many casualties, especially among men, making the civil war The bloodiest war in all of American history. It has however been the cause of a great industrial revolution: the telegraph was born, railways were built and innovative weapons were created. In 1865, the Union won, but Abraham Lincoln was murdered on the 15th of April of the same year, days after the Confederate general surrendered.

Clothes during the American civil war 

Both the Confederate and the Union armies had their own uniforms. For the Union, blue was the dominant color while it was gray and butternut for the Confederacy. However, not all southern soldiers had a uniform, many wore their own clothes. The American civil war took also place during the Victorian era. Women mainly wore corsets, hoop skirts, and gloves. However, during the conflict, the width of the skirts was reduced and even drapes were used to make them in the south, all of that, to save fabric. 

Food during the civil war

The food was lacking during that period time. Many people were starving especially in the south. With men having left to take part in the war and farms becoming battlefields, poor civilians had little to eat. Soldiers had also trouble finding food, especially the Confederacy's ones. Many resorted to stealing from civilians. The majority of soldiers, however, relied on canned goods. Introduced in France during Napoleon's reign, canned food became famous after the American civil war.

Life during the American civil war 

During the civil war, many men, both southerners, and northerners volunteered to join the war, leaving their families and home behind. With men gone, women started working more and more. They would grow and gather crops, sew clothes and even join the war as nurses. The American civil war had changed the image of the perfect women of that time, because, and for the first time in history, women had actively participated in battles, being in the front line, tending to the injured soldiers. Over the course of 4 years, newspapers, or any way of getting news, had become sacred. On the one hand, civilians would be waiting for the list of the fallen soldiers in battles, wishing that their loved are safe. On the other hand, soldiers would want to know what's happening back home. Famine and poverty have increased due to the conflict, especially in the south, however, some had built a fortune. In 1865, when the war ended, thousands of soldiers became civilians overnight.

Medicine during the civil war

When you think about the American civil war, you may think about amputated limbs. Amputation was definitely the most popular procedure during that time, however, it wasn't because physicians lacked knowledge. Sure,  they didn't have today's medical knowledge, but they were doctors nonetheless. Wounds caused by bullets were covered in dirt which made them easy to get infected and ultimately cause death. By cutting the limb, chances of infection were fairly reduced and thus the person had bigger chances of survival. Moreover, with many injured soldiers lying on the ground, the fastest procedure must be done in order to save as many people as possible, a procedure that happens to be amputation.