preview

New York City Before, During, and After the Civil War Essay

Better Essays

New York City Before, During, and After the Civil War

In its long and illustrious history, New York City (NYC) has gone through tremendous change. From a small trading post on the tip of Manhattan Island, to the greatest metropolis in the world, NYC has continued to evolve over time. One period in particular that had more degrees of change than many others, was 1860 to 1865. The lives of the residents of the great port city would be completely changed forever.

The common life of a NYC merchant in 1860 was that of a well-rounded diplomat. One who was able to make deals with both the Southern plantation owner, who sold him the cotton from which the merchant made his money, and the European who the merchant sold this cotton to. …show more content…

With a Republican in office, there would be an end to slavery and their whole way of life.

Surprisingly it was the latter, that NYC adopted first. There are several important reasons for this. First, NYC merchants, fearing that if the south formed a new nation, it would lower its tariffs and make NYC's ports obsolete. There was a great fear that New Orleans, not NYC, would be the major port city to the continent, and would control all imports heading to the vast lands west of the Mississippi river and all cotton exports. NYC's dominance of goods imported and exported had lasted for almost 200 years, and many feared it would be over.

Another reason New Yorkers were southern sympathizers was the debt owed to NYC merchants by the south, which had accumulated to over 200 million dollars. Many feared if the sectional conflict had continued, the debt would not be paid. But if NYC sided with no one and was neutral, the difference between philosophies would not interfere with its commerce and payment of debt. The flow of cotton, which made so much money for NYC, would not stop. Many NYC residents also had families and owned homes in the south. What would these individuals do?

Then on December twentieth, 1860 South Carolina, after a special state assembly, declared that the state would secede from the union. In January to June nine other states joined them; Mississippi

Get Access