Purely speculative question about the Civil War.?

Question

What do you think the world, and America, would look like today if the south had won the American Civil War and had been allowed to secede from the union?

Other food for thought:
How long could slavery have endured in the south?
How might major world conflicts have played out had one side decided to abstain from joining?
A divided United States would have been less efficient in its push to the west. Might Canada and Mexico be larger and more influential today?

Answer 1

The political landscape of the United States would have changed greatly. Many of the most influential politicians in the last 150 years have been southern. Woodrow Wilson, president during World War I was a soutnerner by birth. Dwight Eisenhower, president and World War II Allied Supreme Commander, was born in Texas. Lyndon Johnson, champion of Civil Rights, was a Texan. Jimmy Carter is from Georgia. Bill Clinton is from Arkansas. These are just the southern Presidents (George W. would have been born in the North because his parents were). Other influential politicians and military leaders were southernors.

The United States and the Confederacy would most likely have remained enemies for a long time after the War of Succession. The Radical Republicans would have blamed Lincoln, who would not have won reelection in 1864 and probably would not have issued the Emancipation Proclamation. Slavery would have existed in both nations after the war. The North would end slavery in the late 1860's/early 1870's due to pressure from the Radicals in Congress, but the South could easily have kept that "peculiar" institution for many years after the war. My guess is that slavery would have been abolished in the 1880's or 1890's in the Confederacy due to increasing international pressure-even Brazil abolished slavery by the 1890's.

The South would have allied with England and France, the nations it was more closely aligned with during the war. The United States, lacking the predominantly Anglo South, might have allied with Germany due to the large number of German immigrants in the North. The largely Irish New England population would also cause the North to ally against England since the Irish were predominantly anti-British until the 1920's. Thus, World War I would have looked considerably different than we know it as. The United States and Confederacy would have declared war upon each other with Teddy Roosevelt President in the North and Woodrow Wilson in the South. The conflict in Europe would look similar, though, although Germany would have most definitely won.

All said, the world would be a much different place today. The British Empire would still be intact. Germany would be ruled by a Kaiser. The Tsar would be sitting on his Russian throne. And in the United States, we would need a passport to visit Disney World in Florida.

Answer 2

So, Lee's cavalry at gettysburg got the right info on the front and the main southern forces attacked the flank instead of charging into positions that were too strong. (picket's charge) The northern forces scatter, Lee takes washington, a truce is negotiated and the country is split at the mason dixon line.

Slavery in the south, no slavery up north.

I don't think these two powers would have remained all peaceful. Slaves would keep escaping to the north and who would have gotten which western territory?

The two sides would have gone to war again in a few years. This would have set back scientific, economic, and social development of both sides by decades. Might not have been settled by world war I, which would have prevented the end of world war I, and thus prevented the rise of Hitler.

But really, there are too many variables. Would the slaves have revolted? What would the treaties of stipulated? Would there have been open trade between the two?

I often wonder what the u.s. would be like without 'the south' and it's republican electoral votes.

Check out the book 'What If', it has historians discussing a ton of these historical what if's. If the greek's had lost the battle of salamis or if socrates had been killed early, now THAT would have changed everything.

Answer 3

I've always thought that given the state of the the Southern economy, and the industrial power of the North, that the North would have eventually reacquired the South. Either through force or just out of Southern economic and strategic necessity.

The South also could have allied with Great Britain, and either become part of the British Empire (again) or tried to take over the North. That is an interesting question . . .

Answer 4

Unless the south built a stronger industrial and a more efficient agricultural based economy, they might have to rejoin the North eventually. Most of the new western states probably would have joined with the north and annexed the south. Although there was a movie(comedy) out a year or so about it.

Answer 5

Probably not as different as you think.

My guess is that it'd be a lot like Texas, lol.

Even if The South won, the Industrial Revolution that boomed in the North would have crippled the South and they'd have been forced by economics to "play ball". Neither side would have wanted the line drawn to be a Real Big line, I believe.

Answer 6

This is the subject of a novel by Harry Turtledove (a specialist in alternate history novels) called "Drums of the South". While you may of may note agree with how he sets up the South to win, the interesting point is some of the effects suggested. Of course the accuracy / probability of his suggested impacts decrease with time from the late 1860's. The link below is to a site that has multiple reviews of his books.

Answer 7

I think that had the Confederate States won the war the major difference we would notice today would be a greater emphasis on states' rights. That, after all, is the reason the war was fought. After securing their rights to determine their own fate, I believe the southern states would have re-entered the union.

Answer 8

Too broad a question to answer. That's a major change in the social/economic equation when it comes to the world.

Answer 9

Germany would have won WWI, there would have been no communism, no Hitler and no Holocaust.

So thanks, Generals Meade and Grant.

Answer 10

what if
what if
what if
what if the earth crashes into the sun?