Introduction

Question 1

Context

Answer 1

After a Republican victory in the 1860 Presidential Election, the Civil War broke out in the spring of 1861 following the succession of several Southern states, including Texas and Virginia, who would go on to create the Confederacy under leadership of Jefferson Davis. With the newly formed Confederacy came inevitable economic challenges as they were not an established nation like the Union.

Question 2

Factors

Answer 2

Some historians such as Merton Coulter argue that Southern wartime economy faced problems from the outset, others such as Donald, Holt & Baker argue that economic problems faced by the South during the war were a result of Confederate mismanagement. Finally, other historians such as Brian Holden Reid argue that the South experienced problems with their wartime economy due to Union initiatives which created obstacles for the Confederacy.