USI.37



media type="custom" key="29548287" align="right" =On a map of North America, identify Union and Confederate states at the outbreak of the war.=

Topics on the Page

 * Union and Confederate States **
 * Geopolitical Advantages **
 * Secession Crisis **
 * Border States **

===Union and Confederate States at the Outbreak of the Civil War===

â–ˆâ–ˆ Union states â–ˆâ–ˆ Union territories â–ˆâ–ˆ Border Union states, permitting slavery â–ˆâ–ˆ Bleeding Kansas, entered Union â–ˆâ–ˆ Confederate states â–ˆâ–ˆ Confederate territories (not always held)


 * **For more on the differences between North and South, see USI.35. **
 * **For more on the pivotal events leading to the war, see USI.36. **

Relative Geopolitical advantages of the Union versus Confederate states
1. The location of the states show what advantages and disadvantages each side would have during the war. The Union states had much of their economy based upon industrial production, which allowed for an easy conversion to wartime manufacturing. It was also the location for most of the railroad tracks in the United States at the time.

2. The Confederate states had a lot more land than the Union states. This was an advantage for the Confederacy because that meant the Union Army had to invade more land in order to conquer the Confederacy entirely, though the capital lay fairly close to Washington and Union military bases, located in Richmond, Virginia. All the Confederate Army had to do was fight to a draw in order to win its independence. However, it did not have much industry or railroads, being an agricultural slave-based economy, which forced them to rely on captured Northern goods or creating its own war industry.

Map showing state breakdown
 * Another breakdown of the states map.

**Secession Crisis**
Union or Secession: Virginians Decide from the Library of Virginia presents primary sources from the debate over secession from a variety of perspectives, including those of women, African Americans, and people both pro- and anti-secession.

The American Civil War provides lesson plans and interactive activities for teaching about the war from EDSITEment.

**Border States**
The Lincoln Administration regarded Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, the territories to become West Virginia, and Missouri as border states, critical because of their geographical positions and questionable in loyalty because of their strong ties to both South and North. Slavery existed in all 4 states, though its importance had diminished in Delaware and Maryland as their prewar economies became increasingly interwoven with the North's.

The National Park services website gives a fairly thorough breakdown of the conflicts, both internal and external, that many citizens of the border states founds themselves ensnared in. While they are often seen in hindsight as the picture of neutrality and indecision amongst the bloody conflict, while in reality the War often meant towns could have half the men enlist in the Union Army and the other half declare allegiance to the Confederacy. These border states were also often the areas where guerrilla warfare was more prevalent in subverting the aims of both sides of the conflict. Further information on the dynamics of these states can be found here.