Life as a Slave and North-South Conflict

Life for enslaved individuals in America was characterized by extreme hardship and brutality. Slaves were forced to work in agriculture, households, and mining, with a life expectancy of just seven years on plantations. They endured terrible living conditions, had no rights, and were subject to mistreatment and abuse at the whim of their owners.

The issue of slavery created a stark divide between the North and South. The North, with its 20 million inhabitants, was characterized by booming industry, free wage labor, and a stance against slavery. In contrast, the South, with 7 million inhabitants, relied heavily on slave labor for its plantation economy, particularly for cotton production.

This divide ultimately led to the Civil War, a conflict that reshaped the nation. The election of Abraham Lincoln as president on November 6, 1860, was a pivotal moment that accelerated the path to war. The conflict was brutal, resulting in 750,000 deaths and widespread destruction. New weapons were introduced, and cities like Atlanta and Charleston were devastated.

Definition: The Confederate States of America, also known as the Confederacy, was a collection of 11 Southern states that seceded from the Union in 1860-1861 in defense of slavery and states' rights.

Example: The burning of Atlanta by Union forces in 1864 exemplifies the "total war" tactics employed during the Civil War, which targeted not just military assets but also civilian infrastructure and morale.

The war concluded with the South's capitulation on April 9, 1865. Tragically, just five days later, on April 14, President Lincoln was assassinated. Despite this setback, his Emancipation Proclamation of 1862, which declared all slaves in rebel states to be free, had set the stage for the formal abolition of slavery in America with the ratification of the 13th Amendment in December 1865.