Discuss one of America's economic strengths or weaknesses after the Civil War in the period of 1850-1860 and how it might have shaped American society moving forward.

The Civil War of 1861-1865 was a historical stage of great importance for the United States of America. The victory of the capitalist North over the slave-owning South opened up broad prospects for the unhindered development of capitalism in the United States, both in industry and in agriculture. This was facilitated by the wealth of natural resources of the country, which had significant reserves of coal, iron and other ores, oil, and gold. The rapid industrial development of the country was closely connected with the victory of the "American" path of development of capitalism in agriculture. The development of huge new territories in the West after the Civil War and the associated construction of railways and highways, river channels, harbors contributed to the growth of industry, the creation of a capacious domestic market. The American bourgeoisie used European capital and borrowed the technical achievements of the advanced countries of Europe. After the Civil War, American farming developed large areas of land in the West.