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The Union goal in the Civil War was to restore the union of all of the states. The Confederate goal was to establish a separate independent nation.

The Southern economy depended heavily on the export of "king cotton" to European textile mills as a source of income. The Union navy blockaded southern ports to prevent them from getting cotton out. Both Britain and France took interest in the war for their own needs.

In the first two years of the war, the Confederates had won every major eastern engagement and it looked like they would prevail in their quest to break away from the United States. By the summer of 1862, Britain looked like they would enter the war and support the southern Cause for independence. Their naval support would help the southern economy and expand the war into a global conflict. European industry could supply the arms and equipment that the south lacked and the north had in abundance.

General Robert E. Lee invaded the north by entering Maryland in September of 1862. He intended to destroy railroad bridges in Pennsylvania critical to the Union supply lines. He also thought that one more victory would bring Britain in on the Confederate side. On September 17th 35,000 rebels met 70,000 Federal troops at Sharpsburg, Maryland along Antietam Creek. The battle started before dawn and lasted until night fall. It is the single bloodiest day in American history with causalities of 23,000 men killed, wounded or missing in action. The Battle of Antietam was a draw with no clear winner. Lee escaped back into Virginia to fight another day.

President Abraham Lincoln used the "victory" (it wasn't an outright defeat so the stalemate appeared to be enough of a victory to claim it as so) to issue the Emancipation Proclamation which freed slaves in states under rebellion as of January 1st, 1863. (Note: it didn't free slaves held in northern states even though many were held there.)

Since the Confederates didn't gain a clear victory at Antietam and not wanting to appear to support slavery in the South, Britain and France backed off from lending support to the Cause.

The war endured another three years and ultimately cost over 600,000 American lives.

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Which two European nations were both the Confederacy and Union trying to gain the support of?

England and France.


What are the four bordering states of the confederate states and union states?

The four bordering states between the Confederate States and the Union States during the American Civil War were Missouri, Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee. Missouri was a border state with significant internal conflict, while Kentucky declared neutrality but was strategically important for both sides. Virginia seceded from the Union to join the Confederacy, and Tennessee was the first state to secede. These states played crucial roles in the war due to their geographic and strategic significance.


Was Clara Barton on the Union side or Confederate side of the Civil War?

the union but when she was the nurse she helped both sides


What battle allowed the Union to cut the Confederacy in two?

With the fall of Vicksburg on July 4, 1863, the Federals gained full control of the Mississippi River and thus cut the Western Confederacy (Trans Mississippi District) off from the eastern two thirds of the Confederacy. Control of the Mississippi was vital to the Union's Anaconda Plan which was intended to strangle the Confederate supply lines both foreign and domestic.


Who were the critical individuals for both the union and the confederacy?

There were many people both North & South who found fault with the conscription laws of the Union and the Confederacy. This included the soldiers, their families and newspaper writers. The reasons for being critical were well founded. The Union would allow an individual who was drafted to pay the Federal Government $300. or supply an other individual. The Union garnered $15. Million from this. In the South, people who owned 20 or more slaves were exempt from service. This was truly a poor man's war.

Related Questions

Why did both the Union and Confederacy care about British neutrality during the civil war?

Both the USA and CSA were concerned with where the British allegiance lay as their (the British) entrance into the war on either side could have had a major impact on the outcome. For instance if they would have sided with with the Confederacy, then they more than likely would have won, but if they would have sided with the Union, the war could have been over faster.


What happened on May 13 1861 with British neutrality?

On May 13, 1861, the British government declared its neutrality in the American Civil War, officially recognizing the conflict between the Union and the Confederacy. This decision was significant as it allowed Britain to maintain trade relations with both sides while preventing direct involvement in the war. The neutrality also influenced diplomatic relations and shaped the strategies of both the Union and Confederacy, as they sought British support or recognition. The declaration reflected Britain's complex economic interests, particularly regarding cotton from the South and manufactured goods from the North.


Why did both the union and confederacy are about british neutrality?

Both the Union and the Confederacy harbored different expectations concerning the neutrality of Great Britain and France also during the US Civil War. Although neutral, Great Britain and France provided substantial aid to the South. This aid was of course frowned upon by the US. Even if Confederate hopes of being formally recognized by the European powers, the South believed that as a neutral "helper" they would put forth a compromise policy to end hostilities and save lives.


Was the United States confederacy or the union?

Yes United States was both confederacy and union. They were both two seperate sides in US.


Did Kentucky stay neutral during the US Civil War?

It declared its neutrality but that made little difference since it was in effect occupied by both the Union and the Confederacy in different places at different times.


Why do both confederacy and union need to use a draft?

The Union and Confederacy needed to start a draft because both need more soldiers in their army


What were the like thoughts of the union and confederacy?

They were both in the cilvil war.


Who were the critical individuals for both the union and the confederacy in the south?

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Who fought for both the union and the confederacy?

Conflicting groups in Missouri, and a few in Kentucky.


What caused tensions between the US and Great Britain during the Civil War?

Tensions between the US and Great Britain during the Civil War were primarily fueled by Britain's economic reliance on Southern cotton, which led to support for the Confederacy. Additionally, the British government's consideration of recognizing the Confederacy and building warships for them heightened tensions. The US was concerned about British neutrality and potential intervention, particularly after incidents like the Trent Affair, where a Union naval officer captured Confederate diplomats on a British ship. These factors created diplomatic strains as both nations navigated complex economic and political interests.


What advantages did both of the union and confederacy have?

The union had more resources overall and a great military, but the confederates had a large amount of cotton.


What did the Battle of Shiloh prove to both the union and the confederacy?

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