The Union and Confederacy Advantages and Disadvantages List

A very memorable event that occurred between the southern and northern states was the American Civil War which historically began in April 1861. This was not just a national history but it was known throughout the world. This began when it was promised by Abraham Lincoln to stop slavery within the southern territories. Consequently, the south was planning not to take part in this move to rid slavery and wished to get separated from the northern states. However, Lincoln was quick to take action to avoid making the United States a band of disgruntled and fragmented countries.

The Confederacy was the new name of the southern territories or states, while the north called themselves the Union. These terms are still in use nowadays, particularly in the southern regions of the U.S. Lincoln made the first move to attack the Confederacy when its army had taken over Fort Sumter. As a result, there were four more states that had joined to fight against the Union.

There were so much casualties and victories that had shaped the country as what it is today. Nevertheless, both sides of the Union and the Confederacy had some things working on their side, while some worked strongly opposite them. The good thing was while the north emerged victorious, slavery was also eradicated from the country, including the Confederacy.

Some were confused how they were able to outlast the other in battle and how significantly they fought to achieve victory in the end. To begin with, here are some of the notable pros and cons on both sides of the war.

List of Pros of the Union

1. Leadership Advantage
According to historical statistics, the Union had more valuable leaders compared to that of the Confederate states. These leaders include Abraham Lincoln, Philip Sheridan, and Ulysses Grant. This has given the Union a more strategic advantage over the Confederacy.

2. Economic Stability
During the breakout of the Civil War, northern states were within the industrial revolution. This means that they had several advantages over their opponents, such as easier access for supplies, booming economy, and an organized banking system. For this reason, they have a better position during the war.

3. Larger Population
Compared to the manpower of the south, the north had a significantly larger number of troops. The south only had nine million while the north had an overwhelming population of twenty-two million. The Confederacy only had a whopping three million slaves which was not a good sign for them either.

4. Organized and Established Government
The Union of the north already had a government that was experienced and established during the outbreak of the Civil War. Consequently, this was a huge benefit for them as the south was having difficulties to organize attacks and acquire military strategies. With this advantage, the north was able to control the people, as the south was struggling to achieve it.

5. They Have Control Over Resources
Other foreign countries including Europe were not able to recognize the south’s Confederacy states. Thus, they were not able to provide any foreign support to them. Additionally, it will be easier for the north to block any resources or supplies to the south as they have the ability to suffocate them with their countermeasures.

List of Cons of the Union

1. Unfamiliar Territory
Although the north had an advantage at some point, they were battling it out on unfamiliar territories. So this gives them a disadvantage over the southerners as they knew their terrains quite well.

2. Under High Pressure
Since the Union needs to win the war, they were under absolute pressure during that time. If they lost the war, they would have compromised democracy and would have split the country. In fact, they went into a lot of stress-related incidents during the war.

3. Not Everyone Was In Favor
Although this was the pledge made by Abraham Lincoln, not everybody was in favor of the abolishment of slavery in the country. For this reason, many were lost to the south, while some isolated battles broke out at home.

List of Pros of the Confederacy

1. Defending Their Own Turf
The Confederacy knew their land and terrain really well. So, they were able to have an advantage over the Union states. It was like defending their own backyards wherein the enemy had no idea where they can attack effectively.

2. Skilled Troops
The life and values of the south and the north were so much different. This had given the southern troops to get more advantage as they were more focused on tactical training and arms. As a result, they were able to capitalize on it during the war.

3. Sense of Pride
The southerners had some very unbelievable sense of resolve and will. This is because what was on their mindset was they were actually defending their own homes. Perhaps this was the level of confidence and unity lacking from the north.

List of Cons of the Confederacy

1. Outnumbered Troops
One of the main issues experienced by the Confederacy was the lack of manpower. Compared to the Union, the military that they had was actually very small that it was impossible for them to win the war.

2. Defending A Huge Amount of Land
Due to the considerable length of their coastlines, the southerners can’t possibly deploy that many troops to cover for them. Hence, this caused them to have a hard time defending their territory. For this reason, they were allowing the opponents to attack and invade their homes.

3. Economic Collapse
The economic collapse began when the north no longer supported the south. As the Confederacy depended heavily on foreign countries for their food, ammo, and supplies, they even got more problems. This was due to the fact that their ports were easily blocked by the Union as they performed trades with foreigners.

4. Transportation Problems
Due to the wooded terrains of the Confederacy states, it posed some difficulty establishing their means of transport. It could have been easier when they create railroads for the transport of goods. However, they were unable to achieve this because of this problem.

Final Thoughts

With the Union’s victory over the Confederacy, they were able to free the slaves around the country. But that did not happen without the Union and Confederacy having some very memorable battles during the Civil War. Perhaps the pros and cons stated here can shed some light why the Union came out victorious in the end.