Title: How the Civil War Changed America | World History
Headings: How the Civil War Changed America
How the Civil War Changed America
Unfettered Industrialization in Post Civil War America
Immigration and the Continuation of the Westward Movement
A Unified Nation versus States’ Rights Government
Defining the Role of the Federal Government

Content: Although state legislatures wielded some power, the burgeoning federal government decided policy through the Congress working hand-in-hand with business concerns. At the same time, the Republicans after the Civil War represented the party of victory. Historian Lewis Gould, referring to post-war Southern politics, writes that, “…The still strong passions engendered by the Civil War and the race issue made the Democratic Party…the only choice for white voters in most sections of Dixie.” As the Civil War continued into the mid-1860’s, war goals also changed. For Lincoln, it became necessary to destroy the Southern social and political systems when it became apparent that military victory alone would not result in unconditional surrender. Defining the Role of the Federal Government
In his Second Inaugural Address, Lincoln referred to slavery as the cause of the war. The greatest impact of the war involved ending slavery and establishing guaranteed rights for all citizens through the Civil War Amendments. While the South pursued a policy of “separate but equal,” the war began a long term process of Civil Rights. From the smoldering ruins of the Civil War, a new society arose, free from the institution of slavery and poised to expand democracy through imperialism as the continental frontier closed. Despite the horrific nature of the war, it rejuvenated the nation.