unemployment. France also suffered when their Confederate markets for wine, brandy, and silk was cut off. The Confederacy believed that Britain and France would aid in their fight against the Union, but the two countries remained neutral despite the economic problems. Some of the reasons for their neutrality was that Britain and France found new sources of cotton in Egypt and India. Also in Britain there was an abolitionist sentiment. The Union blockade of southern states was a factor that helped create the conditions for the bread riot.
In the second volume of Jefferson Davis: A Memoir by His Wife, Mrs. Davis gives a similar but different retelling of the Richmond bread riot in 1863. While in his office, President Davis received word that …show more content…
Since the beginning of the Civil War Richmond was heavily taxed. One of the reasons was “to take care of the surplus population that accumulated within her limits”. Many of the citizens of Richmond tried to help assist the refugees, but there was a decrease in income because of a decrease of businesses. “The extraordinary increase in price was first noticeable in that demand of coffee”. During the Civil War, coffee was considered as a luxury for the wealthy because only the wealthy could afford to buy it. One of the distinguished housewives of Virginia was very irritated by this increase. She voiced her opinion about the prices stating, “Coffee is now thirty cents per pound, and my grocer tells me I must buy at once, or very soon we shall have to pay double that price. Shameful!” The Virginian housewife made a reference to the War of 1812 noting that “we had not to pay higher than sixty cents”. This goes to show how heavy taxes were during the Civil War compared to other wars Virginians had experienced. The distinguished housewife was an example of the numerous complaints raised by the people. Unfortunately, after the price increase on coffee the economy and the quantity of supplies in Richmond continued to lessen and deteriorate. A tariff was attached “on all articles of domestic produce, but did not legislate upon groceries, liquors, and articles imported from abroad” by the Provost Marshal of the city, General Winder. “The consequence was, the markets were so ill supplied that they has almost as well been closed”. Securing dinner was next to impossible. Crowds of people would surround the market to try to purchase food to eat. Many households would send servants to the market early, however this did not give an advantage. Meat became scarce so “fish became the staple article”. Market men were enraged at the unfair prices that they were forced to pay. In order to
In the second volume of Jefferson Davis: A Memoir by His Wife, Mrs. Davis gives a similar but different retelling of the Richmond bread riot in 1863. While in his office, President Davis received word that …show more content…
Since the beginning of the Civil War Richmond was heavily taxed. One of the reasons was “to take care of the surplus population that accumulated within her limits”. Many of the citizens of Richmond tried to help assist the refugees, but there was a decrease in income because of a decrease of businesses. “The extraordinary increase in price was first noticeable in that demand of coffee”. During the Civil War, coffee was considered as a luxury for the wealthy because only the wealthy could afford to buy it. One of the distinguished housewives of Virginia was very irritated by this increase. She voiced her opinion about the prices stating, “Coffee is now thirty cents per pound, and my grocer tells me I must buy at once, or very soon we shall have to pay double that price. Shameful!” The Virginian housewife made a reference to the War of 1812 noting that “we had not to pay higher than sixty cents”. This goes to show how heavy taxes were during the Civil War compared to other wars Virginians had experienced. The distinguished housewife was an example of the numerous complaints raised by the people. Unfortunately, after the price increase on coffee the economy and the quantity of supplies in Richmond continued to lessen and deteriorate. A tariff was attached “on all articles of domestic produce, but did not legislate upon groceries, liquors, and articles imported from abroad” by the Provost Marshal of the city, General Winder. “The consequence was, the markets were so ill supplied that they has almost as well been closed”. Securing dinner was next to impossible. Crowds of people would surround the market to try to purchase food to eat. Many households would send servants to the market early, however this did not give an advantage. Meat became scarce so “fish became the staple article”. Market men were enraged at the unfair prices that they were forced to pay. In order to