The Lasting National Impact
A country cannot go through a civil war like the one America endured without it changing the nation forever. Americans can see how the American Civil War impacted the country even today. Most Americans do not think to link the Civil War to anything in the nation today. If one looks at the results of the war, though, he or she can see how it has influenced the present-day United States of America.
Industry
During the war, industry became a huge part of the Union’s success. They had more factories and better manufacturing, which helped lead to their success. The war had caused a need for an industrial increase. Today, there are more factories in the North, typically, and industry has skyrocketed since the war. New products were also made. For example, different designs for the left and the right shoe were created. We have used this design ever since. Other common products created include armored ships, marine propellers, can openers, and size-labeled clothes, just to name a few. Americans take all of these inventions for granted without even realized where they came from and why they were created. Not many people realize just how much the Civil War affected industrialism in America.
Federal Government
One of the many causes of the war was states’ rights. Southern states felt that the state governments should have power over the Federal government. In fact, during the Civil War, that was one of Jefferson Davis’ largest problems as president of the Confederacy. When all of the states have power over the country, it is difficult to make enforceable laws. With the Union’s victory, the power of the central government was shown. No debates about nullification continued after the war. The result was clear: the national government would always remain supreme. How else would a country be able to stay united? Although the states are given certain rights, the Federal government keeps the country whole.
Uniting the Nation
Have you ever wondered why the states are not sectionalized like they were before the Civil War? Even though there are still some obvious differences between the Northern region and the Southern region, sectionalism is not even close to what it was before the Civil War. After the states were readmitted to the Union, they were not allowed to secede again; thus, the country stayed together. With Reconstruction, the country had to grow back together in tolerance of each other. Hatred dissipated over time. The Civil War is the reason the country is not split right now. It could be the Confederacy and the Union still. Since the sections have grown in unity, however, the country has become more powerful than ever. Lincoln had been correct in saying that “a house divided cannot stand.” Thanks to the Civil War, the nation was able to become the strong United States of America once again, and it has remained that way to this day.