The North was characterized by the development of a strong industry, defender of free wage labor and composed of a strong urban middle class. The South, on the other hand, had a basically agricultural economy, focused on cotton production in the plantation system, with extensive use of slave labor.
President Abraham Lincoln maintained an ambiguous stance on slavery, as he was an advocate for the abolition of slavery, but he believed that the "white race" was naturally "superior". In addition, Lincoln stated that he would not abolish slavery where it already existed and defended its maintenance exclusively in the South, that is, it was against its expansion into new territories, such as Kansas. Lincoln's stance received criticism from both sides: northerners considered him to be very conservative, while southerners considered him to be a radical abolitionist, even though Lincoln adopted conciliatory measures.
At the beginning of the conflict, the North had a large advantage over the South: the northerners had a larger military contingent, a much more developed economy and better infrastructure. Despite this, the southerners were highly optimistic in their capabilities. In addition, the southerners had the leadership of important military strategists, such as General Robert E. Lee.
The American Civil War was the worst conflict in the history of the United States. The battles carried out in the open field turned into real massacres, with thousands of soldiers dying, for example, in the Battle of Gettysburg, in which about 30 thousand southerners died in a few days of confrontation.
