Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the Union and the Confederacy at the outbreak of the Civil War.

The question requires that candidates offer a considered and balanced review of the strengths and weaknesses of the Union and the Confederacy at the outbreak of the US Civil War. No approach is specified. Candidates may, for example, choose to address the strengths and weaknesses of each side in discrete groups, or they may choose to focus on individual arguments in their assessment. Candidates may refer to Union strengths as population, industrial output, railroads, an established military consisting of an army and a navy, and a solid government. Weaknesses could be quality of initial generals and reasons for going to war. Confederate strengths could be military leadership, King Cotton and motivation to fight to defend their way of life. Candidates might see Confederate weaknesses as a newly formed government, lack of financial resources, inability to make seceded states cooperate, and a lack of a navy and an established army.