The Civil War resulted in massive life of American lives of both free and enslaved men, women, and children. The Northern economy was not as negatively affected by the war as the Southern economy. The Northern factories continued to function just as before, pumping out war materials and goods. In some ways the war helped the Union's economy. The Southern states, however, did not fare as well. The Southern economy was very agricultural. During the war, the agricultural production by Confederate states had decreased. This meant that while the war waged on most of the agricultural goods were being used by the Confederate military rather than being exported while production was already low. Eventually this would cause the Southern economy to become practically ruined. Both Northern and Southern society changed after the war with the abolition of slavery. The Southern states had to undergo what was called "Reconstruction" after the war. Both the North and South had to adapt to the abolition of slavery.
