Impact of the Civil War
The Civil War of 1865 had many negative implications on the citizens of the United States which included the shortage of essentials such as salt and food, the economic crisis, destruction of property and stoppage of work. The author, Stephen V. Ash clearly brings out these effects by illuminating the lives of various people in his book, A Year in the South.
The was a shortage of essential products such as salt and food in the country. This was because the army had blocked off the ports in which salt was brought into the country and as a result, the amount of salt reduced and the country was pressed to start producing its own even if it would not be enough for all the households in the country. The shortage of food was brought about by the behavior of the rebel army which looted the farms of the citizens destroyed the crop that they had and took most of their food away.
The economic crisis in the United States was also a side effect of the Civil War. This was because the value of money was rapidly depreciating and hence prices of goods went up. Louis Hughes who started selling tobacco plugs to other slaves realized this early enough and bough silver with the profit that he got since he could not trust what the value of the money would be the next day.
