Union Home Front (Flashcards)

Take Your Gun and Go, John

A Civil War-era song (1863) encouraging men to enlist, depicting a wife urging her husband to fight for the Union

Song Theme

Patriotism, sacrifice, and family support for soldiers during wartime

Historical Context (Song)

Published in Chicago in 1863 during the Civil War to inspire Union enlistment

Rage militaire

Intense patriotic enthusiasm and rush to enlist at the start of the Civil War in 1861

Cause of Rage militaire

Reaction to the outbreak of war after the Battle of Fort Sumter

Characteristics of Rage militaire

Large public demonstrations, belief the war would be short, high volunteer enlistment

Decline of Rage militaire

Decreased by 1862 as the war became longer and more brutal

Later Enlistment Motivations

Drafts, financial incentives (bounties), or stronger ideological beliefs

Women in the Civil War

Took on expanded roles that challenged traditional gender expectations

Clara Barton

Civil War nurse who later founded the American Red Cross

Dorothea Dix

Superintendent of Army Nurses for the Union

Nursing Role

Women became primary caregivers in military hospitals

Homefront Role

Managed farms, plantations, and businesses in men’s absence

Aid Societies

Organized groups producing supplies like food, clothing, and bandages

Espionage

Women acted as spies, gathering and transporting intelligence

Women Soldiers

Over 400 women disguised themselves as men to fight

Impact on Society

Expanded women’s roles and helped advance the women’s rights movement

Union Monetary Policy

Centralized financial system created to fund the Civil War

Greenbacks

Paper money issued in 1862 not backed by gold or silver

Fiat Money

Currency backed by government authority rather than physical commodities

National Banking Acts (1863–1864

Laws creating a national banking system and uniform currency

Income Tax (1861)

First federal income tax introduced to help fund the war

War Bonds

Government-issued bonds like “five-twenties” and “seven-thirties”

Suspension of Specie Payment

Government stopped redeeming paper money for gold

Confederate Monetary Policy

Relied heavily on printing paper money without strong taxation

Hyperinflation

Extreme rise in prices due to excessive money printing

Economic Failure (Confederacy)

Weak central government and poor financial structure led to collapse

Long-Term Impact of Civil War Economy

Strengthened federal control over currency and established national banking system

Federal Reserve System (1913)

U.S. central banking system built on foundations from Civil War policies