Home Front 1861–1865

Home Front 1861–1865 — page 1
4 Home Front Introduction For those not caught up in the fighting life during the Civil War varied greatly For some people in the North life carried on largely as normal in the South the war impacted every aspect of life For many people in the South the war was an immediate experience Most of the fighting took place on Southern territory Southern cities came under direct attack A larger proportion of men were in the army so Southern women had to run farms and plantations as well as looking after families and households As the war went on the Union blockade halted overseas trade The Southern economy was devastated All sorts of commodities were in short supply from agricultural tools to basic foods Life was a struggle to survive In the North some people made huge profits by selling military equipment and supplies Among the working poor of the great Northern cities however wartime conditions This kitchen from just after the war includes a range in the center which was used for cooking as well as heating water