Civil War Poem

The poem demonstrates the downfall of the cotton industry, and thus the economic downfall of the South during the Civil War. It also contrasts the agricultural boost, and thus the economic boost, the North received during the Civil War. The poem literally states how "King Cotton" has been replaced by the new "King Corn", portraying the downfall of the cotton industry and the increased export of corn and grains from the North. The poem also contrasts the politics of Lincoln of the time. The poem carries a boasting tone, in which the writer seems to taunt the South for their economic woes while the North has received a great economic boost. This demonstrates how despite Lincoln's attempts to reconcile the divided nation, the residents of both countries held great discontempt for each other. This poem provides great insight into the mindset of the common man in the Union, as well as the economic situation of the Union and the Confederacy.