Many people are surprised to learn that the Yankees were actually on the side of the Confederacy during the Civil War.
Checkout this video:
Introduction
On the surface, it would appear that the Yankees were firmly on the side of the Union during the Civil War. After all, they were based in the Northern states and fought against the Confederates in many of the war’s most famous battles.
However, things are not quite so simple. There was a large faction of Yankees who sympathized with the Confederacy and there were even a few who fought for them. In this article, we will explore the complicated history of the Yankees and their involvement in the Civil War.
The Yankees’ Position
The Yankees’ position was that the Union was more important than the abolition of slavery. They were willing to let slavery continue in order to keep the Union together. This was not a popular position in the North, where most people were opposed to slavery.
The Yankees’ Involvement
The Yankees were not officially involved in the Civil War until April 12, 1861, when Confederate troops attacked a U.S. military installation at Fort Sumter in South Carolina. Prior to this, the Yankees had tried to stay out of the conflict as much as possible.
However, once Fort Sumter was attacked, President Abraham Lincoln called for volunteers to join the Union army and fight against the Confederates. The Yankees were quick to respond and soon had a large contingent of soldiers fighting for the Union cause.
In total, there were over two million Yankees who fought in the Civil War. Of these, over 360,000 died during the conflict. This represents a huge loss of life for the Yankees, but their involvement in the war was instrumental in ensuring that the Union remained intact.
The Yankees’ Legacy
The Yankees have a complicated legacy when it comes to the Civil War. While the team was founded in New York City in 1903, it didn’t officially become the “Yankees” until 1913. By that time, the United States had been through a civil war, reconstruction, and a number of other momentous historical events.
While the team has always been based in New York, its name comes from a confederate term for northerners. The team’s original name was the Highlanders, but this was changed to the Yankees in 1913 to make it more marketable to baseball fans across the country.
The team has always been associated with New York City, but it wasn’t until after World War II that the city became synonymous with winning. The Yankees won their first World Series in 1923, and they’ve gone on to win a total of 27 championships. They’ve also appeared in 40 World Series, more than any other team in baseball history.
While the team has enjoyed a long history of success, its relationship to the Civil War is complicated. The name “Yankees” is derived from a term used by confederate soldiers to describe northerners. In addition, the team’s logo includes an interlocking “NY” that is similar to the design of Confederate flags.
Given all of this, it’s not surprising that the Yankees have been involved in a number of controversies related to race and ethnicity over the years. In recent years, however, the team has taken steps to distance itself from its controversial past. In 2017, for example, the Yankees released an updated version of their logo that removed the interlocking “NY.”
So while they may have started out on the wrong side of history, it seems like the Yankees are finally beginning to make peace with their past.
