The gay 20s everyone was happy
He wanted to weaken the south and help the north win the war
Much of the growth can be attributed to the building of the transcontinental railroads. In 1862, Congress passed the Pacific Railway Act, which authorized the construction of a transcontinental railroad.
I believe it was a large naval blockade. Since the South had high import/export rates, it funded the war. The Union decided to take control of the Mississippi River and after gaining New Orleans and Baton Rouge, they blockaded all of the Confederate supplies coming in from other nations, forcing them into submission.<span />