North vs. South
Everyone thought the war wouldn't last long. Lincoln asked volunteers to sign up for only three months.
The Southerners were fighting for a way of life they believed in. They thought England would help them because they used a lot of the cotton the South grew. Many Southerners deserted the army because they didn't have the things they needed for fighting.
The Northerners had more men, more factories, and more weapons. The Northern military leaders were weaker than the Southern leaders. They later became as good with training.
| Confederate | Union |
| favored slavery | opposed slavery |
| felt they were fighting a second war of independence | felt they were fighting a war to free the slaves |
| made living from small farms and plantations | made living from factories and trade |
| wanted to lower taxes on goods | wanted to higher taxes on Europeans goods so Southerners would buy Northern products |
| believed in states' rights | believed that the Union must be saved above all else |