| The American Civil War was fought from 1861 - 1865. The
war between the states was a clash between two different social systems.
On the one hand the largely agricultural cotton growing slave based economy
of the South and on the other the industrialised free economy of the North.The
southern Confederates wanted to set up an independent nation whilst northern
Federals were determined to keep the United States intact. It was the first
modern war, with the introduction of the first practical use of machine
guns and repeating rifles, trenches, torpedoes, ironclad ships, telegraphy,
railroads and photography. Three million men fought and over 600,000 died,
many from disease. Especially during the early part of the war the majority
of equipment used by both sides came from Europe and in particular Britain.
It was through this and our cotton trading with America that Britain became
involved in the war. Return to Tynemouth front page Additional information on external Civil War Homepage site |