The Further Development of the American Civil War (1861-1865)

Strategic Developments

Anaconda Plan: Named due to its analogy of a crushing anaconda, it was a military strategy planned by the North to blockade southern seaports and to take control of Mississippi river. The aim was to slowly suffocate the Confederacy.
Battle strategies of both sides changed over time due to technological advancements and changing military leadership.
Emancipation Proclamation: Announced by President Lincoln in 1862, it declared all enslaved people in the Confederate-held territory were to be freed. This added a moral cause to the Union’s fight which complicated diplomatic matters for the Confederacy.

Conflicts and Campaigns

First Battle of Bull Run (1861): The first major confrontation of the war left Union forces shocked and disoriented showing that the conflict was not going to be quickly resolved.
Battle of Antietam (1862): The bloodiest single-day battle in American history. This Union victory gave Lincoln the political cover to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.
Battle of Gettysburg (1863): A significant battle which resulted in a key victory for the Union and is often described as the war’s turning point.
Siege of Vicksburg (1863): Marked the end of Confederate control of the Mississippi River, cleaving the Confederacy in two and was a major blow to southern morale.

Political and Social Changes

The Emancipation Proclamation: This legally freed slaves in areas of rebellion, making abolition a central aim of the Union’s war effort. This had significant social and political implications.
Conscription: Both sides introduced a draft during the war. The Confederacy first in 1862, followed by the Union in 1863. These policies were met with significant resistance and led to violent draft riots, notably in New York City.
Confederate government: The Confederacy initially established a provisional government in 1861. It was unpopular amongst southerners due to its inability to effectively mobilize and support their war efforts.

Economic Aspects

Blockade success: By 1862, 95% of American cotton exports were blocked. This not only crippled the southern economy but also largely stopped any potential aid from foreign powers that relied on cotton.
Inflation: Economic hardship was a significant part of the war. In the South, the war and blockade led to skyrocketing inflation, reaching an unbelievable 9000% by the end of the war.
Southern resources: Despite its agricultural wealth, the Confederacy lacked human resources - enslaved and free - and industrial power to sustain a long war.