My name is Elizabeth Wood and I am a white middle-class woman living in America. I am 50 years old and married with 3 children. I live in a small house in Washington D.C. surrounded by never-ending politics and historical reminders. Over the years I have watched America develop and change before my eyes. My family has experienced many effects of the Civil War which my older brother William fought in. He was 18 years old when he first enlisted in the war and I was 10. It is strange to think that my oldest child is now the same age as my brother when he began fighting for our rights because life is very different now. I could not imagine sending my son off into a dangerous war not knowing if he will return alive. My husband and I often discuss America and how our children are growing up in a completely different society. As I grew up the world around me was constantly changing and it was impossible to know what our country would be like in just a few years.
The time leading up to the Civil War showed great change for me and my family. My brother would soon separate from us to fight for the country’s rights and I would have to take on a new role at home. This time also held great change for the rest of America. The years 1820-1860 before the Civil War began were known as the Antebellum Period and marked important changes in American history. There were many technological advances that changed the way American society worked. In the North, the economy changed with the start of the Industrial Revolution, and in the South, plantations became the main focus of the economy. During this period of chaos and growth new inventions for communication and transportation arose. Railroads were a major form of transportation invented in the 1830s often known as “the first big business”. Railroads allowed people and goods to move quickly over great distances. The first trains contributed to the development of a national market in the late 1800s because transporting materials became simple and practical. During the Civil War armies relied on railroads to transfer supplies needed in battle. This industry gave many Americans stable employment and by 1868 4,000 workers contributed to the construction of the transcontinental railroad. By 1860, there were over 30,000 miles of track covering America with 200 railroads. In 1862 The Pacific Railroad Act would be passed by Abraham Lincoln and would give the government support in building the first transcontinental railroad, built-in 1869. The telegraph, built in the 1830s was another advanced invention that revolutionized communication. Electronic signals and Morse code were used to improve the way people exchanged important information. The first telegraph message was sent by Morse from Washington D.C to Baltimore, Maryland in 1844. Abraham Lincoln would go on to use this invention during the Civil War in 1862 to communicate with generals and officers.
When my brother William first enlisted in the war my family did not approve of it. It was only after my brother explained his reasoning for wanting to enter the war that we accepted he would join the Union. William like any other average farmer strived for adventure, money, and fighting for the country's rights. Specifically, many people joining the war wanted to fight to end slavery in the South. Slavery was a widely debated issue from the start of the 1800s and kept growing until the Civil War broke out. In the 1800’s around 893,000 slaves were living in America. The South had a primarily slave-based economy. The warm climate and fertile soil were ideal for farms and owning slaves meant getting fast and free labor. Slaves were considered property and helped Southern states remain agricultural since they relied on plantation farming. African slaves were also brought in by landowners to work in manufacturing, transportation, and processing food. Slave owners also claimed that slaves benefited from this system because they were repaid in clothes, food, and shelter.
In reality, slavery was Africans being dehumanized and forced to work long hard hours of physical labor. At the beginning of the Civil War 15 out of 34 states in America were slave states. In the North, the growth of cities and factories with millions of new immigrants seeking economic opportunities, led slavery to subside because northerners had careers in business and products could be made easier with machines. The North originally would fight to preserve the Union and stop the South from gaining additional territory but this eventually turned into opposing the idea of having slavery altogether in Southern states. Northerners were also afraid that the expansion of slavery would take away job opportunities. The South did not want to be controlled or let Northern states determine how they lived so they strived for the option of having slavery or not. They claimed trying to end their slavery was violating their constitutional power. They wanted to have authority over the federal government so that they could make the decision of which laws to keep and which to get rid of. Many soldiers including my brother fought in the war to let states have their own rights without the federal government interfering.
Abraham Lincoln was elected America’s 16th president on November 6, 1860, with 180 electoral votes. On March 4th of 1861, he delivered his first inaugural address for his first term. I remember attending this speech with my family to find out what our president planned to do about the tensions between Northern and Southern states. Around 25,000 people attended this event in Washington, D.C. I remember standing in the crowd amazed at how tall he was and I could not believe I was watching our President speak about his ideas right in front of me. The South had wanted to protect slavery by seceding from the United States and was going to split. In his speech, he attempted to calm the fears of Southerners that believed their rights would be threatened by a Republican leader. He promised the South that he would not interfere with existing slavery or use force to preserve the Union in the North. He also said he would not support the North if it meant neglecting the South. While he wanted to keep peace and unison, he firmly claimed that he would not allow secession or any takeover of federal land. He would handle secession as an act of revolt that is not tolerated. He spoke with caution to avoid chaos and so that some Southern states might remain in the Union. In his compromise, Lincoln emphasized that states were held together by the Constitution and could not separate as a result of unsuccessful attempts in the past. President Lincoln ended his speech by saying states should try and solve the issue peacefully and if not, he would have to react with force to protect the United States. This speech had a powerful impact on America as the country was in crisis and the goal was to put state leaders at ease. Abraham Lincoln went on to give many famous speeches and to be considered one of the greatest presidents in American history. Six weeks after Abraham Lincoln’s first inaugural address, confederates attacked Union soldiers at Fort Sumter in South Carolina. On April 12th, 1865, the Civil War began.
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It is July 1861. We have just fought in our first battle, the Battle of Bull Run. Before it started, we all thought the war would be over fast, but we are now realizing that is not so. We believed we would win and defeat the Confederates. Families of men, women, and children came with food to watch us win as entertainment. After the war broke out they were forced to retreat like other soldiers. People called our first battle “The Picnic Battle” for the reason that the public was not aware of the violence and came without thinking. One thing I saw during this battle was a Confederate general sitting on a horse like a stone wall, encouraging his people to fight. Word got around that Barnard Elliott Bee Jr., a Confederate States Army general shouted “Look, men, there is Jackson standing like a stone wall!”. The general, Thomas Jonathan Jackson became known as Stonewall Jackson. We were winning the battle up until we saw him on his horse. Many people were shocked we had lost and are nervous about the outcome of the war. There was a total of 2,680 casualties by the end of the battle. It is very frightening to see people dying around me every day but I know I am doing what is necessary. I wish you all the best and send my love.
William”
This is a letter my brother sent me after his first battle in the Union Army of the Civil War. The war began on April twelfth, 1861, and ended on April ninth, 1865. The Civil War was a conflict between the Northern and Southern states. Although there was tension before the war, it was after the election of Abraham Lincoln that the South voted to separate from the North. The South felt that they were being controlled by the North and that it went against the true meaning behind The Declaration of Independence. The people in the Southern states did not want to get rid of slavery because it helped their economy by not having to pay for labor on their plantations. The North wanted to preserve the Union and keep them together as one country. One of their goals was to end the enslavement of Africans. When my brother joined the Union Army to fight, we were worried but only thought it would be for a short amount of time. We did not know that it would become the deadliest four years of American history with millions of soldiers killed and injured on the battlefield. Many lost limbs, died of infections, and diseases, and some even died in prison after they were captured. 2 percent of the population would lose their lives fighting during this deadly time. A total of 2.75 million men fought in the Civil War, 2 million Union soldiers, and 750,000 Confederate soldiers. Before the war America was a country of individual states that governed themselves and after it became a country of one government and democracy.
The Gold Rush of 1848 was a major event that shaped 19th-century history when more than 750,000 pounds of gold were found at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. After hearing about this new discovery, around 250,000 people traveled to California from a variety of regions raising the population to more than 380,000. California flourished during this time becoming the center of business, manufacturing, and trade. The state became very extremely diverse and people of different nationalities and races were brought together. Many of these travelers consisted of Chinese immigrants in search of money and freedom to escape the economic hardship in China. By 1880, there were 105,462 Chinese immigrants living in the U.S. The growing amount of immigrants caused feelings of Nativism in American people and led to racial violence including riots that resulted in several deaths. The competition was increasing and American workers felt that the Chinese were dangerous to society. It was common for many Chinese immigrants to come into the country to find jobs in construction and mining because of the railroad industry and the Gold Rush. Immigrants often worked for little money and were ideal workers for businesses. Because they faced financial pressures and they were easy to pay and supply for, immigrants prevented Americans from finding jobs, and wages were lowered. My husband had a hard time finding work and my family was personally affected by the wave of immigrants that entered. On May 6th, 1882 the Chinese Exclusion Act was signed by the 21st President of the United States, President Chester. This law suspended Chinese immigration for a period of 10 years and did not allow any Chinese resident to gain citizenship. The Chinese Exclusion Act was the first major law prohibiting immigration for a certain group and opened the door to other restrictions and exclusions on immigrants in America. Many Chinese people were forced to decide between staying in the country alone or being sent back to China. This legislation marked a change in the country when it stopped welcoming all people and kept certain races from having control in American society. The Chinese Exclusion Act was renewed 10 years later in 1892 with the passing of the Geary Act. The law stated that all Chinese residents needed to carry a resident permit or internal passport to provide proof that they entered the country legally and had the right to stay. If they did not have proof, they would face deportation. In 1902 Chinese immigration became permanently illegal in the United States.
On March 25, 1865, Robert E. Lee and his army of Northern Virginia left the Confederate capital of Richmond after losing a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia. There were a total of 3,200 Confederate casualties. They left Richmond hungry, undermanned, and overwhelmed. The Confederates had very little food and supplies by the end of the war and had nothing left to fight with. Robert E. Lee took his troops to Appomattox Court House, a town in Virginia, and with no other choice he surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant on April 9, 1865. The Civil War was officially over. My brother recalls standing outside the building watching the Confederates lay down their arms in defeat. After the Confederate army surrendered and they were no longer a threat, Ulysses S. Grant gave supplies, and food, and sent doctors to those who needed them. At the end of the Civil War, the world no longer looked at America as separate states, but as The United States as a whole. Over 700,000 soldiers died from war wounds and disease while fighting and there were more American deaths from the Civil War than all other wars combined. The Civil War was also one of the most expensive combats in American history between lives lost and money spent on uniforms, materials, weapons, and food with a total cost of approximately $6.6 billion. A couple of days after the war had ended my brother had gone to Ford’s Theater in Washington D.C. to enjoy the play “Our American Cousin” that the 16th President of the United States attended. John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate sympathizer, was a famous actor in this play. During a scene when Lincoln’s assigned guard was not in sight, he went up the president's balcony a few minutes after 10 pm and fired at him in the head. President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated at 56 years old on April 14, 1865, and died the next day. After leading the country for four years his death stunned the nation. He was the first American president that is assassinated. Despite differing opinions on Lincoln’s time in office, the country joined in national mourning.
Over the years, America has grown into the industrialized and wealthy country it is today. Although in the past 40 years cities were destroyed and millions of people lost their lives, by 1885 slavery was abolished, the Union won the Civil War, and the United States experienced immense growth. When my brother first enlisted in the war my family was in shock and feared losing their only son. Now, he has witnessed many important events including battles between the North and South, Robert. E Lee surrendering to Ulysses S. Grant, and tragic deaths like the assassination of Abraham Lincoln have shaped American history. Technology advanced greatly as the 19th century went on. The railroad industry allowed people and merchandise to be transported quickly over distances and the telegraph improved communication enabling people to send signals to reach others. No one knew how much growth our country would go through or how all of the states would come together and form the United States Of America.
Today, I have my own life and my own children to look after, 2 sons and 1 daughter. Our current president is Grover Cleveland, the 22nd president of the United States of America. He is our 6th president since Abraham Lincoln was killed in office. Both of my parents passed away in 1870 which was extremely hard as they helped create the person I am today. I lost my brother 5 years ago to natural causes and ever since nothing has been the same. From the moment William entered the war he has only wanted to better himself and the people around him. I began my career as a journalist when I was 25 years old and have written in numerous newspapers since. As I enter my 50’s I have decided that I want to share my story and I am currently writing a book about my experiences in America to discuss how the people around me and my environment made me view the world. My family has supported me in my journey of writing and now I will be able to spread my thoughts and memories of my childhood to the rest of the world. I hope that my children will feel the same way when they grow up and will have the opportunity to watch history be created around them just as I did.
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