Iowa After the Civil War

When the South surrendered in 1865 and the Civil War ended, many things were different in Iowa than they had been before the war. The Republican Party dominated state politics, black Iowans gained new rights, and economic development increased rapidly.

The Republican Party

Iowa became one of the most Republican states in the nation. For the next 75 years, the Iowa governor, congressmen, state legislators and most local officials were almost always Republicans. Republicans reminded voters that Democrats in the South had supported slavery and led the nation into Civil War.



In 1884 the Iowa legislature passed a law that declared theaters, hotels, restaurants and other public services should not discriminate against blacks or any other race. The law was not always enforced, but it represented a major advancement toward equality.

Change Comes to Iowa

The state’s population was increasing rapidly. The war slowed immigrants from Europe, but after the war many new families poured into the state. Germans and Irish were the two largest immigrant groups, but many people from Great Britain and the Scandinavian countries (Norway, Sweden and Demark) came also.


During the war many Iowa farmers bought new equipment drawn by horses to do the work of men serving in the army. As a result farms could produce more, and farm production soared.

Iowa soldiers returned home to a different state than they had left. Altogether 76,000 soldiers had served in the army. Thirteen thousand of them died. Many more died from disease than from battle injuries. Those who returned were heroes. They often marched in parades on Memorial Day and many were elected to political offices. Their stories about their battles and their military service became local legends. The Civil War changed Iowa and the United States forever.

By Tom Morain



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