"The Civil War took more than 600,000 lives, destroyed property valued at $5 billion brought freedom to 4 million black slaves, and opened

wounds that have not yet completely healed more than 125 years later.” (Encarta Encyclopedia), but what would have happened if the South had come

out victoriously in the war?

There would be many economic changes in today’s world if the South had won the Civil War. The African Americans were very successful with many factories and industries, however the South would have kept all African Americans in slavery. They would not have had the opportunity to work in such jobs were they can succeed in life. Since the South had its own currency and they were in a lot of debt because of the Civil War, it would have taken a long time for everything to be rebuilt. The South focused everything on cotton. Our country would never have developed into the most powerful country if we just focused on farming and not on industry.

Since the South lost so many men, it would take many years to rebuild the Confederate States. They also didn’t have enough money to rebuild their cities. The citizens wouldn’t be able to complete state railroad system. The thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth amendments would never have been created. All of these amendments have to do with slavery being abolished. The South would have had to figure out how to reenter the Union into the Confederate States. The government might be similar in that we would have some of the same kind of presidents and vice-presidents, however they would have very different beliefs. The might not have very strong presidents too due to the shortage of men at the time. The country might have fallen apart long ago if the South had come out victoriously in the Civil War.

If the South had won the Civil War the African American men and women would have returned to their slave life. The Confederate States of America would not have recognized the change in the thirteenth amendment, which said that slavery would be abolished. The African Americans would still not be able to vote, have good paying jobs, and they would still have their separated schools and hospitals. The thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth amendments, which all have to do with helping enslaved people, might never exist and the African Americans would still be discriminated as an inferior race.

If the South had come out victoriously in the Civil War, our whole country would not have become the most powerful country in the world. Our country wouldn’t have developed the same. Our world would be much more focused in different subjects. There would be a lot of chaos because discrimination and prejudice would be even worse than it already is today.