Southern Devastation

The South was devastated by the Civil War.  All southerners - rich and poor, black and white - faced a long struggle to rebuild their lives and their land.

Physical destruction:  Most of the fighting during the Civil War took place in the South.  Cities and plantations lay in charred ruins.  Two thirds of the railroads were destroyed.

Wounded soldiers:  A quarter of a million Confederate soldiers died in the war.  Thousands more were disabled by their wounds.

Freedmen:  For nearly 4 million freedmen, the end of the Civil War was a time of both hope and fear.  They were no longer enslaved, but most had no land, no job, and no education.  The first task was to teach them to read.

Financial Ruin:  The economy of the South was ruined.  Confederate money was suddenly worthless.  Many banks closed, and people lost their life savings. 

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