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The survival of the Confederacy depended on a strong base of civilians and soldiers devoted to victory.  The soldiers performed well, though increasing numbers deserted in the last year. The civilians, although enthusiastic in 1861-62 seem to have lost faith in the nation's future by 1864, and instead looked to protect their homes and communities instead. As Rable explains, "As the Confederacy shrank, citizens' sense of the cause more than ever narrowed to their own states and communities. This contraction of civic vision was more than a crabbed libertarianism; it represented an increasingly widespread disillusionment with the Confederate experiment. <ref> Rable (1994) p 265</ref>

The survival of the Confederacy depended on a strong base of civilians and soldiers devoted to victory.  The soldiers performed well, though increasing numbers deserted in the last year. The civilians, although enthusiastic in 1861-62 seem to have lost faith in the nation's future by 1864, and instead looked to protect their homes and communities instead. As Rable explains, "As the Confederacy shrank, citizens' sense of the cause more than ever narrowed to their own states and communities. This contraction of civic vision was more than a crabbed libertarianism; it represented an increasingly widespread disillusionment with the Confederate experiment. <ref> Rable (1994) p 265</ref>

== Economics ==

== Economics ==

The principal physical legacy of the Confederacy was mass destruction.  Four years of Civil War killed at least 620,000 soldiers (counting deaths from disease as well as in battle), of whom approximately 260,000 were from the Confederacy.  This represented a much larger fraction (slightly over one quarter) of the Confederacy's military age free men than was lost by the Union.

The principal physical legacy of the Confederacy was mass destruction.  Four years of Civil War killed at least 620,000 soldiers (counting deaths from disease as well as in battle), of whom approximately 260,000 were from the Confederacy.  This represented a much larger fraction (slightly over one quarter) of the Confederacy's military age free men than was lost by the Union.

An unknown number of civilians also died, in part as a result of the campaign of systematic destruction of the infrastructure in late 1864 and early 1865 by Union General [[William Tecumseh Sherman]] which helped not only to destroy the will of the Confederacy to fight, but literally to destroy the parts of the civilian economy useful o the war effort. Severe damage was inflicted on both urban and rural communities in the South, and hundreds of thousands of people became refugees.  The exigencies of [[total war]] had led to the destruction of much Southern infrastructure, in particular [[railroads]], long before 1864.

An unknown number of civilians also died, in part as a result of the campaign of systematic destruction of the infrastructure in late 1864 and early 1865 by Union General [[William Tecumseh Sherman]] which helped not only to destroy the will of the Confederacy to fight, but literally to destroy the parts of the civilian economy useful to the war effort. Severe damage was inflicted on both urban and rural communities in the South, and hundreds of thousands of people became refugees.  The exigencies of [[total war]] had led to the destruction of much Southern infrastructure, in particular [[railroads]], long before 1864.

 

Upon the Confederate defeat, General Lee on April 9, 1865 ruled out continuing to fight on as [[insurgents]]. To have done otherwise would have been folly. The Union was prepared to use techniques it had learned in Missouri: move all the hostile civilians into concentration camps, thus cutting off supplies to the insurgents, and then hunt down the rebels bands one by one.  

===Extent of wartime destruction===

===Extent of wartime destruction===

Most of the war was fought in Virginia and Tennessee, but every state was affected. There was little military action in Texas and Florida. Of 645 counties in 9 Confederate states (exclusing Texas and Florida), there was Union military action in 56%, containing 63% of the whites and 64% of the slaves in 1860; however when the action took place, some people had fled to safer areas, so the exact population exposed to war is unknown.<ref> Paul F. Paskoff, "Measures of War: A Quantitative Examination of the Civil War's Destructiveness in the Confederacy,"  ''Civil War History'' 54.1 (2008) 35-62</ref>

Most of the war was fought in Virginia and Tennessee, but every state was affected. There was little military action in Texas and Florida. Of 645 counties in 9 Confederate states (exclusing Texas and Florida), there was Union military action in 56%, containing 63% of the whites and 64% of the slaves in 1860; however when the action took place, some people had fled to safer areas, so the exact population exposed to war is unknown.<ref> Paul F. Paskoff, "Measures of War: A Quantitative Examination of the Civil War's Destructiveness in the Confederacy,"  ''Civil War History'' 54.1 (2008) 35-62</ref>

===Towns and cities===

===Towns and cities===

The Confederacy in 1861 had 297 towns and cities with 835,000 people; of these 162 with 681,000 people were at one point occupied by Union forces. Eleven were destroyed or severely damaged by war action, including Atlanta (with an 1860 population of 9,554), Charleston, Columbia, and Richmond (with prewar populations of 40,522, at least 8,052, and 37,910, respectively); the eleven contained 115,916 people in the 1860 census, or 14% of the urban South. Historians have not estimated their population when they were invaded. The number of people who lived in the destroyed places represented just over 1% of the Confederacy's population.  In addition, 45 court houses were burned (out of 830).<ref> Paul F. Paskoff, "Measures of War: A Quantitative Examination of the Civil War's Destructiveness in the Confederacy,"  ''Civil War History'' 54.1 (2008) 35-62</ref>

The Confederacy in 1861 had 297 towns and cities with 835,000 people; of these 162 with 681,000 people were at one point occupied by Union forces. Eleven were destroyed or severely damaged by war action, including Atlanta (with an 1860 population of 9,554), Charleston, Columbia, and Richmond (with prewar populations of 40,522, at least 8,052, and 37,910, respectively); the eleven contained 115,916 people in the 1860 census, or 14% of the urban South. Historians have not estimated their population when they were invaded. The number of people who lived in the destroyed places represented just over 1% of the Confederacy's population.  In addition, 45 court houses were burned (out of 830).<ref> Paul F. Paskoff, "Measures of War: A Quantitative Examination of the Civil War's Destructiveness in the Confederacy,"  ''Civil War History'' 54.1 (2008) 35-62</ref>

===Rural areas===

===Rural areas===

The South's agriculture was not highly mechanized. The value of farm implements and machinery in the 1860 Census was $81 million; by 1870, there was 40% less, of $48 million worth. Many old tools had broken through heavy use and could not be replaced; even repairs were difficult.

The South's agriculture was not highly mechanized. The value of farm implements and machinery in the 1860 Census was $81 million; by 1870, there was 40% less, of $48 million worth. Many old tools had broken through heavy use and could not be replaced; even repairs were difficult.

== Legacy ==

== Legacy ==

Slavery was abolished in the Confederacy by Lincoln's [[Emancipation Proclamation]], as enforced by the U.S. Army, and by the [[Thirteenth Amendment]], which became law in late 1865.  

The seceding states all rescinded their ordinances of secession and were admitted, one-by-one, back into the Union by a government that had prevously maintained that it was not possible to seceed from the Union. This was done by the process of [[Reconstruction]].  Reconstruction began during the war and ended in 1877.  

The seceding states all rescinded their ordinances of secession, and were admitted one-by-one back to the Union by the process of [[Reconstruction]]. Reconstruction began during the war and ended in 1877.  

There was never an effort to revive the Confederacy, but nostalgia for the Lost Cause, poisoned relations from the war and the destruction of Southern property, and by the vengeful administration of Reconstruction soured North-South relations until at least the 1890s. Some Southerners insisted on white supremacy.

There was never an effort to revive the Confederacy, but nostalgia for the Lost Cause, and poisoned relations from the war and Reconstruction soured North-South relations until the 1890s. Some Southerners denied that slavery was the cause for their secession, but at the same time insisted on white supremacy.

After Reconstruction, the [[Redeemers]] (white Democrats) took full control and slowly removed the voting rights and some of the legal rights of the Freedmen, installing  a system of segregation known as [[Jim Crow]]. The region became a [[Democratic Party]] stronghold for a century.  

After Reconstruction, the [[Redeemers]] (white Democrats) took full control and slowly removed the voting rights and some of the legal rights of the Freedmen, installing a system of segregation known as [[Jim Crow]].  The region became a [[Democratic Party]] stronghold for a century.  

Economically the South was badly damaged and fell far behind the North in terms of prosperity; it took 100 years for the South to catch up.

==Bibliography==

==Bibliography==