by Stefany Smith

Created on: March 06, 2009

Many people believe that the end of the Civil War was also the end of slavery in America. Unfortunately, this isn't the case. The Civil War didn't erase slavery; it only changed some of the rules. It also didn't wipe away the centuries of hate burning in the loins of the Southern United States. It did, however, impact the family dynamics, southern class system, working conditions, and economy of the freedmen and landowners of the south.

Reconnected Families:

For centuries black families had been separated at birth, marriages were broken apart, and siblings separated. Slaves could not travel freely; they had to carry a pass written by their owner explaining where they were going, why, and when they were to return. There was no hope of ever reconnecting with loved ones.

After the war, freedmen were able to move about the country as they pleased, so they could locate family members and reunite. Unfortunately, this was no easy task. Names had often been changed when slaves switched owners' hands, and sometimes spouses remarried believing they would never be reunited.

New Class System:

The old class system of the south was also broken apart. This system consisted of poor farmers, rich plantation owners, and slaves or servants. Blacks were often welcomed to attend the churches of their owners, they were occasionally taught by their mistresses, and often celebrated weddings, holidays, and other occasions with their masters. This was more common in the northern bordering states, but there are records throughout the deep south as well.

After the Civil War segregation became prominent. Blacks were no longer welcomed in the white churches so they built their own. Landlords looked at their hired hands as merely employees instead of dependents. Shopkeepers used the credit system to exploit black customers, keeping them in bondage. Black schools did begin forming, but money and resources were limited, and attendance was low because many children had to work.

Poor white farmers quickly lost their social status. Eventually, landowners preferred to have Mexican immigrants or blacks as tenants. These farmers fell victim to the same debt and credit problems as black farmers. They became tied to their land and landlords. This new class arrangement pushed many of these lower class families to move north or west in search of better opportunity.

New Working Conditions:

Around the time of the Civil War working conditions transformed across the country. In the North, and some regions of the

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