Please help me?

Question

I need help to come up with a working thesis. I am doing pre Civil War North and South. Like the Economy and the Fashion stuff like that. Can somebody help I am frustrated and stressed. Please and Thank You.

It's for a college english essay.

Is something like this correct?

The South fought to preserve a society and way of life, the North to preserve a nation and a political ideal.


I was looking up things for the Economy.

Maybe for the: 'Economic Differences' between the two.

Answer 1

Pre-Civil War fashion is not my forte but for the economic side of your question: Prior to the Civil War the economy of the north was one based on a combination of industry (in the New England area to also include New York and Pennsylvania) and agriculture (in the mid-western states). The economy of the South was one based almost entirely upon agriculture. With each side's economical base being as they were, this allowed the Northern states to hold a significant advantage in material and the industrial base to supply it's forces while the South was unable to match war material production. Also the North had approx 85% of the nations railroad capacity within it's territory which made it much easier to transport it's forces from place to place as well as providing a means in which to resupply those forces. The South was significantly restricted in both movement and resupply as a result of thier lack of railway capacity. Hope this helps.

Answer 2

It's not really clear what you're asking for, especially since you say you're working on an essay for an English class, not a History class. Based on what you've studied so far, is there some aspect of life in the first half of the 1800s that particularly interests you? Do you want to write about the debate between North and South over slavery? Or maybe about the agricultural economy of the South vs. the industrial economy of the North? Are you interested in the new technologies, such as railroads and telegraph lines, that were changing American society at that time? Or in the economic importance of oceangoing enterprises such as whaling and foreign trade? You mention fashion. Perhaps there's something about the clothing styles or architecture of the period that you'd enjoy researching. If you can sharpen the way you pose your question, you might come up with your own answer.

Answer 3

This is a very good beginning thesis - - YOUR :
"The South fought to preserve a society and way of life, the North to preserve a nation and a political ideal."
My suggestion is to focus on why both sides fought so hard for these ideas. Get a copy of James McPherson's 1997 book "For Cause and Comrades." It's a short book - extremely well written - explaining why they fought. This could be a basis for a superb college English essay (with some good history as well).
Good Luck!

Answer 4

I loved teaching American History. You'll enjoy writing this paper once you've started. Here's an idea for an introduction:

The Civil War was the bloodiest war in American History. More Americans died between 1861 and 1865 than in all other war combined, prior to WWII. Motivations to engage in such bloodshed must have been overwhelming. Most can reason that the Civil War was spawned by differences between the North and South. Yet, what environmental, cultural, political, economic, technological, and philosophical differences contributed to aggression (thesis statement)?

I know it's rough, but this thesis statement allows you to address almost all differences between the two. The statement also limits the differences to those that contributed to war. To simply list the differences and explain them would be a daunting task.

You can write about:
1. influence of slavery
2. representation in government
3. economic differences
4. industrial vs. agrarian
5. population densities
6. military capabilities
7. state vs. federal rights (philosophical)
8. the Abolitionist Movement (philosophical)
9. Topography
10. and much more

If you do not address all categories listed in the thesis statement, simply omit that category. Feel free to make this your own.
I hope this helps

Answer 5

One suggestion . The South's plantation economy of cotton using much slave labour was heavily dependant on exports particularly for the burgeoning textile industry in England. But in the North manufacturing industry was growing too, with paid skilled labour rather than slaves - including a textile industry. The growth of cities in the north, more sophistication , particularly among women regarding clothing and domestic furnishings. You should be able to find material on the emergence of these trends and if you cannot find what you need on the net, go to a good library and ask a librarian for help on these themes or any others you choose.
If it is for an English course rather than history, I imagine the quality of writing will be more important than extensive historical detail
Good luck!

Answer 6

Is your essay supposed to be on one aspect of life in the ante-bellum North and South, or on life then and there in general? The major difference seems to me to be that life in the North was basically industrial and life in the South agricultural and feudal. Can you get a thesis out of that and find examples to support it?