[BroJoeK]

rockrr: "The only reason the south ventured into anything beyond cottage industry was because they had foolishly committed themselves to a disastrous course of action and too late realized that they lacked the capacity to support themselves and their would-be confederacy.
Up until 1860 they were happy to outsource virtually every commodity they needed."

Well said.

[jmacusa]

One result of the South's ‘’disastrous course of action'' was to launch a war with virtually no navy to speak of. One of the Norths first actions was to blockade Southern ports.