Pigs, Dogs, Cats, Horses, and Rats Help Win the Civil War Essay

The well-mannered fight intensified pork yield as firms strove to meet the needs of the war effort. Beef packing as well as increased dramatically during the war, but dwind take after it depoted, as cities manage Kansas metropolis that were closer to the centers of cows farmers began to dominate production. As plants grew, the operations became to a greater extent equip & specialized. The introduction of the refrigerated rail car in 1869 dramatically bolstered the industry, allowing it to become a year-round industry and to expand internationally (Dictionary of Wisconsin History, 2013).The north had a greater advantage than the South in that their commissary system was already established at the outbreak of the war, while the Confederacy struggled for umteen years to obtain food and then get it to its armies. By the end of the war, galore(postnominal) soldiers in the Confederate army were on the verge of starvation. During the Civil fight There were plenty of other Civ il War food options on a soldiers menu (The American Civil War, 2013). The flavor pork that was wedded to the soldiers during the war was a stinky kind of dark extra-salty meat, with hair, skin, dirt, and other debris on it.It was, however, their main supply of protein. Salt backbite was basically all of the very worst parts of a cow, including organs, necks, and shanks. except the basic meat was pork. When in enemy territory, the soldiers frequently helped themselves to chickens, fruits, vegetables, and other items from topical anaesthetic farms and households. However, During the final months of the war, much than a few horses, mules, dogs, cats, and even rats were eaten by soldiers, tell a Confederate doctor (Civil War Food, 2013).Rats especially were entrap to be quite a luxury superior, in the opinion of those who eat them, to commencement chickenand there were few among the garrison whose natural prejudices were so potent as to prevent them from cooking and eating t heir share. Nor did rats appear on the starvation menus of tho besieged Confederates. In the winter of 1862-63 in Virginia, Union soldier Berry Benson and others on picket found many rats, and they teased each other round trying them. briefly someone killed a few and roasted them. They found that they tasted rather like a squirrel. If that time were back, I dont think I would not be squeamish, Benson said later. (Davis, 2003, p. 24) After the Civil War The market for Texas cattle diminished after the Civil War & ranchers were left holding several million steers of cattle. Ranchers began to drive their cattle north again in 1866, but with little financial gain. fortunately for the cattlemen, the close of the Civil War also marked a major(ip) transition in U. S. meat-consumption patterns. A national preference for pork perfectly gave way to beef.Cattle worth $4 a head in Texas might be sold at $40 a head in Missouri or Kansas. In appurtenance, a ready manpower was already in place the de-commissioned horsemen of the Confederate cavalry plus freed ex-slaves and Mexican gauchos combined to provide a ready supply of skilled horsemen. Soon others saw the wild Texas herds as a ready means to intercept into the lucrative northern market with little startup capital. The storied Chisholm Trail became a major route. The trail was established in 1865 by Jesse Chisholm and ran 600 miles from San Antonio, Texas, to Abilene, Kansas.Typically rivers and Indian lands had to be crossed, but good grazing, relatively take aim terrain, and higher prices waiting at the destination made the hazards worthwhile. Drives were cost-effective alikea drive of 2,000 or more cattle usually ask only a trail boss and a dozen cowhands. In 1867, the Goodnight-Loving Trail opened markets for Texas cattle in Colorado & impudently Mexico. Cattle ranching had become big business and attracted Eastern investors. In 1869, more than 350,000 head of cattle were driven along the Chi sholm Trail. By 1871, more than 700,000 head were driven along the route.The Reconstruction Period The post-war Reconstruction stage was difficult and would have been different in at least twain ways if President capital of Nebraska had not been assassinated. First, Lincoln would have been more generous in providing government aid to the fallen South. Instead, President Andrew Johnson punish the South. Moreover, if Lincoln had been the post-war president, it is likely that there would have been a lot little racism and he might have even prevented racist and white-supremacists like the KKK and other groups (Nicely, 2011).Second, the death of Abraham Lincoln qualifyd all the plans by which a southern pass on could be readmitted into the Union. Lincoln wanted to reunite the Union promptly by showing forgiveness. Most of the moderate Republicans in Congress back up his plan because they thought it would make a more immediate end to the war. Reconstruction would have gone much mo re smoothly if Lincoln had not been assassinated (Nicely, 2011). Industrialization and urbanization during Reconstruction brought many changes to the social, economical and political lives of the people.Industrialization led to mass production of goods with technological advances which led to cheaper products and better living conditions for the average American. With the improvement of living conditions, came the need of more workers at the factories. This need led to the migration of people to rural areas to the cities. The migration of the people to the cities and the addition of more and more factories lead to harmful contaminants in the environment much(prenominal) as water and air pollution. We also had the distinction of social classes given the wealth differences among the business entrepreneurs and factory workers.There was also a change in the family structure. Men and women who worked in the aforementioned(prenominal) factory performing the same task were paid differen tly. This structure established what we know today as having the man be the breadwinner and the woman encouraged to stay at collection plate with the children. At this point, children were seen as low-cost labor. Race Relations The federal official and/or state courts and legislatures handed down decisions or passed laws during the period that served to discriminate against non-white citizens and immigrants in many ways.The Black Codes were enacted in the South to regulate the status and film of the newly freed slaves. This deprived black people of many rights given only to whites such as owning property, to testify in court with whites, to make contracts, travel, preach, speak, and many more. Also contrary to expectations of the Bill of Rights, the court also held that because the amendment provided that no state shall deprive persons of the rights its guaranteed, Congressional legislation protecting blacks and Republicans from Ku Klux Klan violence exceeded the power of the fede ral government.References Civil War Food (2013). Retrieved from http//www. civilwaracademy. com/civil-war-food. html). Davis, W. C. (2003). A Taste for War The culinary History of the Blue and the Gray. Stackpole Books. Mechanicsburg, PA. Dictionary of Wisconsin History (2013). Retrieved from http//www. wisconsinhistory. org /dictionary/index. asp? exercise=view&term_id=10802&term_type_id=3&term_type_text=things&letter=M) Gale Encyclopedia of U. S. Economic History (1999). Retrieved from http//www. ncyclopedia. com/topic/Cattle_drives. aspx Mitchell, P. B. (2013), Cooking for the cause. Retrieved from http//www. civilwar. org/education/pdfs/civil-war-curriculum-food. pdf Nicely, B. J. (2011). What IF 5How would have Reconstruction been different if Lincoln had not died on April 15, 1865? Retrieved from http//deeprunwildcats. org/nicely/? p=631 The American Civil War (2013). Retrieved from http//www. ducksters. com/history/civil_war/ life_as_asoldier_during_the_civil_wa r. php