American History Questions and Answers - Assignment Example

Also the North, being rich in economic resources, was able to supply its armies with better equipment. The Union states owned most of the country’s industries including shipping, bank capital, railroad mileage, and taxable wealth. With bigger industries, the North does not need rely on foreign trade to provide materials for the war. It had its own commerce and industry to provide necessary supplies for its troops. Also, the North had a naval advantage to block the Southern ports so that it cannot receive their much needed supplies.

Meanwhile, it cannot be said that the South had no reasons to believe that it is going to win the war. There are crucial advantages that the South had over the North such as its ‘home field advantage’, strong fighting spirit, more military leaders, and early war preparation. Since the civil war was fought with the North invading the South, soldiers from the Confederacy fought on a more familiar terrain that is close to home. Because of this, Southerners had strong fighting spirits being proficient in hunting, riding, and other skills necessary to fight within their territory.

Also, the south had better military leaders since a higher proportion of Southerners had attended West Point and other military schools, became army officers, and fought in military operations. Adding to this, the South prepared for the war much earlier than the north which gave and this gave them an advantage when it comes to preparedness for the fight. 2. What were the Monitor and the Virginia? The USS Monitor were CSS Virginia the two famous ironclad warships which participated in the naval battle between the North and South.

While the Union had a strong naval force, the confederate army was able to convert its steam frigate USS Merrimack into CSS Virginia as an ironclad rams that would sank one Union warship with its iron ram and 10 with its torpedoes. This sent panics in Washington that prompted them to build USS Monitor – a smaller warship with two 11-inch guns with revolving turret. With its size, USS monitor presented a small target with an intense gun power with its revolving turret. Because of this, the naval war between the Monitor and Virginia was dubbed as the “battle of the ironclads”.

It resulted to a draw with Virginia going home to Norfolk, unable to engage the battle again. 3. How did the South raise an army? What methods did they use to find men to fight? In 1862, the South instituted drafting by requiring three years of service for males who are 18 to 35 years old. Later however, the confederate decided to increase the draft age up to 45 in October 1862. Additionally, an overseer exemption was implemented for one white man who has 20 or more slaves on every plantation.

According to the Twenty Negro Law, the purpose of this is to prevent slave uprising and to keep up the production. As such, many non-slaveholding farm families regarded the policy as discrimination towards them. As a result, the law provoked avoidance and widespread desertions in the Confederate army. Additionally, the South allowed substitution in its drafting policy, enabling drafted men to pay a commutation fee of $300 for exemption. Because of this, the policy was labeled as “rich man’s war, poor man’s fight” just like in the Northern States. 4. What was the Conscription Act of 1863?

The Conscription Act of 1863 was signed by President Abraham Lincoln to require every male citizen and