The Abolition of Slavery

There was a drastic change brought about in the South during the 1860’s. The Union and the Confederacy at war, the abolition of slavery, and the Reconstruction of the South. The life of the south began to take a turn for the unknown. Many people who were once wealthy, living lavishly, and successful, were now poor field or mill workers. People no longer had their successful businesses or plantations. The Civil War greatly impacted the world, in Gone With The Wind, one woman’s experience changed her life forever.

(We need a thesis statement that introduces and states your answers for the prompts in one sentence here.)

Gone With the Wind was a movie that displayed the troubles and hardships of life before and after the Civil War. The main character was Scarlett O’Hara. Scarlett was the strong-willed, determined, and spoiled daughter of a wealthy plantation owner. She lived on a plantation called Tara in Georgia. Before the war, Scarlett seemed content with her life, she was pampered with whatever she desired and had maids who did all of her needed work. After the war, Scarlett was poor and no longer living lavishly. In fact, she became a feminist. Scarlett was working in the mill, fields, and learning to take on responsibility. Along with many other women who had to work while their husbands were away at war. For example, Scarlett began her own lumber business and worked hard to provide for herself and her family. She married several times for money. Also,

During this time period, there were many different issues in the South. One of the biggest was slavery. Slavery was vividly shown throughout the movie. Black individuals served as maids, servants, field hands, and were treated less than the white people.(Provide example) Slaves wore old, battered clothing, and were talked to any kind of way. Slavery was not the only issue, there was a class issue among the white people as well. Many white people were rich, wore expensive clothing, and had thriving plantations. Others had money, but not as much to thrive like others. For example, Scarlett was born with fortune, but she had to work and marry for money after the war. The Civil War changed class boundaries. Once slavery was abolished, the owners had only a few servants who stayed to work, they were then forced to take on the hardships. White people now had to work in their own fields, plant and maintain crops, clean for themselves, and take care of their kids.

The war brought many new changes to society. Before and after, its impact was greater than ever imagined. Before the war, things were unfair. There was slavery. White people were treated with more respect and greater authority than black people. In the movie, before the Civil War, Scarlett had a great life. She was well taken care of, pampered, and didn’t have a job in the world to do except look pretty. After the war, Scarlett and many other women had to take on big responsibilities. Working in place of the men, reality had finally struck, Scarlett saw that she had to step up, and mature in order to provide money and food for her family.

In conclusion, there were many different changes that occured as an effect of the Civil War. There was the abolition of slavery, the Reconstruction of the South, and people had a new way of life. Black people were now free, and had a fair chance of living decently. White people were now having to take on the challenges of their own work. This affected the class issues and society. Now 

Did you like this example?

765

40