History P3 - Chapter 5.2 - The Crumbling Confederacy and the End of the Civil War

Confederacy Economic Weaknesses

The South had limited industry, fewer railroads, relied on cotton, suffered from Union blockade, and experienced inflation, food shortages, and economic collapse.

Social and Political Impact in the South

Starvation and hardship lowered morale, class tensions grew (“rich man’s war, poor man’s fight”), and civilian support for the war declined.

Military Consequences of Economic Weakness

Lack of weapons, supplies, and food weakened Southern armies, limiting their ability to replace losses compared to well-equipped Union forces.

Overall Significance of Southern Economic Inferiority

Confederacy’s lack of industry, transport, and financial stability contributed decisively to its defeat, showing war outcomes were also determined by structural economic power.

Jefferson Davis as Leader

Former U.S. Senator and Secretary of War, committed to the Confederate cause, hardworking but inflexible, clashed with subordinates, lacked Lincoln’s political flexibility.

Problems Coordinating Southern States

States’ rights ideology hindered conscription, taxation, and resource distribution; disputes with generals; economic shortages; class tensions; public morale declined.

Significance of Davis’s Leadership

Structural contradictions (states’ rights vs centralization) and Davis’s inflexibility limited effectiveness, undermining Confederate unity and war effort.

Reasons for Lee’s Surrender – Military Pressure

Grant’s relentless campaigns, outnumbering of Lee’s army, and Sherman’s destruction of Southern infrastructure wore down Confederate forces.

Reasons for Lee’s Surrender – Economic Collapse

Union blockade, destroyed railroads/farmland, shortages of food/weapons, inflation, and poor morale made sustaining the war impossible.

Reasons for Lee’s Surrender – Manpower Shortages

Heavy casualties, high desertion rates, and inability to replace troops left Lee’s army severely reduced.

Reasons for Lee’s Surrender – Failure of Confederate Strategy

No foreign recognition, states’ rights hindered coordination, and Davis lacked Lincoln’s unifying leadership.

Final Campaigns

After Richmond and Petersburg fell, Lee tried to retreat west, but Union forces blocked escape; surrounded, he surrendered at Appomattox Court House on 9 April 1865.

Significance of Lee’s Surrender

Marked the effective end of the Civil War, Confederacy could no longer resist militarily, allowed Union victory and the abolition of slavery.