RECONSTRUCTION: A Statistical Look at Southern Recovery, 1860 - 1880
Introduction
The Civil War (1860-1865) left the United States a changed nation. The war succeeded in restoring the Union, but questions remained as to what kind of union it would be. These questions began to receive answers in the aftermath of the war — the period known as Reconstruction (1865-1877).
In this interactive exhibit, you will see a series of topics accompanied by statistical maps, period images, background information and discussion questions. The maps are based on US Census records. As you make your way through these maps and images, you will be able to form a better understanding of economic and social conditions in the South during the Civil War and Reconstruction. In understanding these conditions more thoroughly, try also to identify potential problems and opportunities brought about by the process of Reconstruction.
Part 1: Civil War & Reconstruction
Directions: Click on each Topic below to see the map.
Topic 1: Gain of Total Population, 1860-1870
Overview
In the nineteenth century, the population of states north and south was on the rise, growing, from naturalincrease and, inthe north especially, from immigration. Generally speaking, population growth indicates ahealthy nation and society. A slowing or a decline in the rate of population growth may indicatesignificant problems for the health of a nation or society. Through this map, we examine therate of population growth for the southern states during and in the aftermath of the Civil War.
Discussion Questions
- Describe the population changes that occurred in the South after the Civil War.
- Although population continued to grow in the North as well as in the South during theCivil War, the population growth in the North was at a rate significantly higher than thatof the South. Why do you think the South lagged behind the North in populationgrowth rates during this time?
Topic 2: Blacks as a Percent of Total Population, 1870
Overview
To fully understand the difficulties inherent in Reconstruction it is important to have a grasp ofthe degree to which social change affected attitudes and policies. No social change in Americahas been greater than or had the impact of the transformation of enslaved African-Americansinto free persons. This map allows you to discover the percentage of blacks in the populationsof southern states.
Discussion Questions
Remember that the higher the percentage of the black population, the greater the number offreed persons that needed to be absorbed into southern society.
- What are the percentages of black Americans living in each of the southern states afterthe Civil War?
- In which southern states do black Americans make up the largest percent of thepopulation? In which southern states do they make up the least?
- Given attitudes toward African Americans, in which states do you think Reconstructioncould proceed most easily? In which states could there be greater resistance?
Topic 3: Loss in Cash Farm Values, 1860-1870
In 1860, the land in the South was among the most valuable farm land anywhere on earthbecause of the cotton grown on it by slave labor. By the end of the war, there was a dramaticchange. The Civil War took a toll on southern farms in general, and on large plantations inparticular. Statistics on cash farm values indicate how much money—the cash value—a farmwas worth had it been sold for cash. This map indicates the change in the value of farm landbetween the years 1860 and 1870.
Discussion Questions
Farm values were decreasing throughout the United States during this time as the United Statesdeveloped an industrial economy. But this only explains some of the decrease in farm values.The war also played a part.
- Which states lost the greatest cash value of farm land? Which states lost the least?
- What are some possible reasons that southern farm values depreciated so much?
- What do these statistics mean for an economy based primarily on the production ofagricultural goods?
Topic 4: Growth in Capital Investment in Manufacturing, 1860-1870
Overview
The North had always outdone the South when it came to manufacturing. The South’s slave-based agrarian economy and society did not encourage industrialization. During the war, theSouth needed to find ways to produce or otherwise acquire the manufactured goods that theyhad previously imported from the North. Even so, capital investment in the South did not comeclose to the levels of capital investment in the North. The following map illustrates the growthof Southern capital investment.
Discussion Questions
This map illustrates the percentage of growth in investment of capital for manufacturingthroughout the South from 1860-1870. The fact that southern states in 1860, especially whencompared to northern states, had little capital invested in manufacturing, must be kept in mindwhile evaluating these statistics.
- Which states showed the greatest change in capital investment?
- Which states showed the least?
- To what extent do you see a connection between changes in farm values and changes inmanufacturing investment?
Topic 5: Change in Railroad Track Mileage, 1860-1865
Overview
In the decades prior to the Civil War, it would have been difficult to overstate theimportance of the growth of railroads, which revolutionized transportation. Trips that used totake weeks now took only days. And it is important to remember that rail transportation alsoreduced the cost of overland travel and shipping. Railroads were of central importance to thefighting of the Civil War, as they moved men and supplies quickly to where they were mostneeded.
The map demonstrates the growth in the number of railroad track miles that almost allsouthern states experienced during the years 1860-70. It should also be kept in mind that thegrowth shown on these maps takes into account the destruction of railroads by Union armies.
Discussion Questions
Notice the general trend of railroad track mileage in the years 1860-1865.
- Does it show a net increase or a net decrease? Large or small?
As you evaluate the relative growth of track mileage, also keep in mind that these statisticsaccount for the percentage of growth in track mileage rather than actual track miles. Thus, itmay give a skewed impression. A hypothetical example: a state that started with just ten milesof railroad tracks could post a 100% increase in track mileage in 10 years if it only builtanother 10 miles of track. The overall trend was growth—but growth from what level?
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After Reconstruction
Directions: Click on each Topic below to see the map.
Topic 1: Change in Value of Farm Products, 1870-1880
Overview
Prior to the Civil War, the South was primarily an agricultural region, relying on goods—principally cotton—that were produced on farms and then sold at market. The war and its aftermath had a devastating impact on the values of these goods. The focus of this map is the change in farm values during late Reconstruction and its immediate aftermath.
Discussion Questions
Because of increasing industrialization, farm values in all states—both North and South—were declining. The war also negatively impacted agricultural productivity, as well as destroyed public and private infrastructure. States that saw more conflict were disproportionately affected. Given the South’s largely agricultural economy, the South experienced a proportionately greater decline in the value of farm products than the rest of the country.
- Describe the changes in the value of farm products in the South.
- How do you think the loss of value in farm products affected rebuilding efforts in the South?
- What type of impact would it have had on the southern economy?
Topic 2: Change in the Number of Farms Consisting of 1000 or more acres, 1860- 1880
Overview
Even though there were more small farms than plantations in the antebellum South, the planter class and plantation owners wielded considerable influence in Southern society. This map will allow you to examine the impact of the Civil War upon these plantations and the influential planter class.
Discussion Questions
Note that the 1000+ acre farm would be a large plantation ,but we can us that measure as a rule of thumb for examining the number of plantations in a particular state. It was upon these plantations that the social, economic, and political structure of the antebellum South rested.
- What trends does this map show?
- What are some of the potential impacts the break-up of plantations could have had on the social, economic, and political structure of the South?
- What do you think became of former plantation land and buildings?
- Do you think that plantation wealth and resources were redistributed among all members of southern society? If so, how?
Topic 3: Change in Capital Manufacturing & Investment, 1870-1880
Overview
Capital manufacturing investment is the amount of resources invested in building a base for the manufacturing of goods. In the nineteenth century, the investment of capital—resources—in manufacturing by the northern states far outstripped that of the southern states. Rather, the southerners invested much of their capital in agriculture and labor—slaves. Did the South increase its investment manufacturing between the beginning and the end of Reconstruction? The map will allow you to answer that question.
Discussion Questions
When we measure the percentage of growth in southern manufacturing after Reconstruction, we are often starting from a position of little to no manufacturing. Therefore, it can be misleading to gauge the impact of that growth from these statistics alone. A 100% increase in manufacturing capital could mean very little, if the base number was low.
- Did the South increase its investment manufacturing between the beginning and the end of Reconstruction?
- Take note of the percentage of growth of capital investment in manufacturing.
- What trend does it indicate throughout the South?
- Given the trend toward growth, consider the factors that might explain why the North still outpaced the South in this growth.
Topic 4: Change in the Value of Manufactured Products, 1870-1880
Overview
The change in the value of manufactured products is related to capital investment in manufacturing and gives us more information on the South’s changing capacity to produce manufactured goods. This map will allow you to examine where the South’s largest and smallest increases in manufacturing took place during the years of Reconstruction.
Discussion Questions
When we measure a change in the value of manufactured products after Reconstruction, we are often starting from a position of little to no manufacturing. Therefore, it can be misleading to gauge the impact of that growth from these statistics alone. A 100% increase in the value of manufactured products could mean very little if the base number was low.
- Where did the South’s greatest and weakest increases in manufacturing take place?
- Take note of the percentage of growth in the value of manufactured products. What trend does it indicate throughout the South?
- Given this growth, consider what factors explain the greater growth of manufacturing in the North as opposed to the South.
- In what ways could the scarcity of and demand for products have determined their value?
Topic 5: Change in Railroad Track Mileage, 1865-1877
Overview
During the Civil War, Union generals targeted railroads as a part of their strategy to disrupt southern infrastructure and thus impair the Confederate war effort. Yet the number of miles of railroad track in the southern states grew over the course of the war. Did this trend of growth continue during Reconstruction? This map will allow you to answer that question.
Discussion Questions
The continued growth and expansion of the railroads in the South was vital to the reconstruction of its economy.
- Did the South continue its prior trend of increasing railroad miles during Reconstruction?
- What are the benefits of a more expansive railroad system?
- What is the relationship between growth of the railroads and increased manufacturing capacity?
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