Question

Which was an advantage held by the South over the North at the start of the Civil War?

A.
It's soldiers and generals believed they were protecting their homes and way of life.

B.
It had an industrial economy with limitless immigrant labor to produce weapons.

C.
It's slave population was willing to fight to preserve the plantation system.

D.
It had a far more extensive network of railroads and telegraph lines.

Answer 1

@SneliS

Answer 2

@paki

Answer 3

what do u think

Answer 4

b

Answer 5

not B

Answer 6

why not

Answer 7

List the advantages of the North (more people, industry, and food) and of the South (skilled fighters, outdoorsmen, Southerners' belief that they were fighting for their land) as the war began.

Answer 8

d

Answer 9

but there were no weapon industry

Answer 10

Basically, it was a battle between an industrial power and an agrarian power, fought almost exclusively on Southern soil.

The North had a larger population base and a huge industrial base. It could produce more finished goods such as guns and armaments. There was more money in the North. The United States was better recognized by foreign governments as an established nation, so the Confederacy had a harder time obtaining foreign credit and aid. The states in the Union had an easier time recognizing a central government so organizing the army was easier, and Lincoln's authority was better recognized. The North also had a better developed system of roads and railroads.

* A detailed comparison of Northern advantages in wartime:

Manufacturing Capabilities•The primary advantage was the North's manufacturing capabilities. Their factories could mass produce weapons while the South had few facilities capable of providing the arms needed.
•The North had greater production of war materials and comestibles.
•The North had experienced an industrial revolution which left them with many factories to produce supplies necessary for outfitting an army. Also, with immigrants coming mostly to the North to settle (they were looking for jobs in the factories), little if any production was lost because of men leaving to fight in the war. Women and immigrants had been the main workers in the factories that now would be producing goods to be used by the Union soldiers.
•The Southern dependence on agriculture was a major disadvantage and the dependence on slavery made it even harder for the South to industrialize. Being unable to industrialize was a real disadvantage because it meant that the South could not produce all the things they needed for war such as weapons. The Northern blockade also prevented trade with Europe making the situation even worse!
•The North was much better equipped with the foundries and factories needed for producing weapons of war. The South was much more geared toward producing raw materials, primarily agricultural products, and sending them elsewhere for conversion into finished goods. The South was thus hard pressed to keep its troops adequately equipped.


Population•The North's had nearly three times the population. (20 million vs. nine million in the South, four million of whom were black slaves.) The larger population provided a steady source of military and civilian manpower.
•The North had a larger population which translated into the ability to field a larger army. However, while many men (and boys) eagerly went to enlist during the opening months of the Civil War, they lacked the experience needed to fight a war and time had to be taken to properly train the troops.
•The North, being more populous, was also able to field a larger army, and to replace combat casualties. Grant, for example, refused prisoner exchange offers from the South, for the strategic reason that the South needed their soldiers back much worse than did the North.


Naval Power•The Northern navy prevented many supplies from being imported by the South. They blockaded ports.


Agricultural Capacity•The North grew most of the country's food, and a fighting army can get very hungry. The South had the plantations, but mostly cash crops were grown there.
•The North had more farm land to produce crops.


Transportation Infrastructure•The North had better railroads and highways, including naval and civil shipping resources used to resupply forces in the field.
•The North possessed a large amount of the country's railroad and canal systems. These would be vital in the quick and easy transportation of troops and supplies.
•The North several times the amount of railroad mileage upon which to transport their armies and supplies to the battle fronts
•More railroads meant better communication as well as better transportation.
•The North had about 22,000 miles of railroad and the South only had about 9,000 miles of railroad. This means that they could not reinforce troops as quickly as the North could.
•[Note that "interior lines" is cited as an advantage of the South, meaning that their transportation infrastructure was where it was needed most.]


Not Fighting on Their Own Soil•This helped protect their industrial and transportation resources.
•[Note that "Fighting on Their Own Soil" is considered a Southern advantage for other reasons.]


Political Stability and Recognition•The North also possessed an existing, working government while the South was struggling to put their government together and fight a war at the same time.
•The South had to worry about their slave population revolting and causing trouble for the troops.
•The world recognized the Union as the legitimate government, allowing loans and trade concessions. [Note that South's cotton was desired in England. There was concern that England would side with the South despite England's stance against slavery.]