The main consequence of the American Civil War on the southern economy was its substantial devastation and restructuring. The war (1861-1865) led to the destruction of infrastructure, a loss of manpower due to casualties, and the abolition of slavery, which had been the foundation of the southern economy. Many plantations and farms were ruined, and the end of the plantation system forced former slaveholders to adapt to new economic realities. Additionally, the shift from an agrarian economy to one struggling to diversify and industrialize created significant challenges. The Reconstruction era that followed attempted to rebuild the South, but economic difficulties persisted well into the late 19th century.