I'm sure she makes great food, I just hate it when people who aren't from the south try to mimic her. It really makes me angry sometimes because they have no idea how we live. We don't all live in shacks by the river eating cornbread and grits every night.
Oh don't get me wrong I love my grits and cornbread. I especially like it when there is actual corn in the bread as well. We have quite a different culture here in the southern U.S. than in the north. I actually have northern blood because my birth grandparents (long story, dad was adopted, real parents got in contact with him five years ago) are from Boston. However, I love living in North Carolina. It never gets old living on the ocean.
It would have been great if all the soldiers from both sides of the war could have sat down and shared some grits and cornbread on the beach.
The biggest problem for a victorious South is that it was too decentralized. The CSA federal government had little power over the various states, and it's likely if it had tried to increase it's power the various states would threaten secession. Initially this may not seem like a big problem, but if there was a debt crisis, interstate dispute, or similar problem, it would lead to potential chaos, much like we're seeing in the European Union right now. About the only unifying force in the South would be the military. So there are 4 possible outcome within the first 20 years or so of independence. 1) They form a tighter union similar to the USA. 2) They form a military government that forces most or all of the states to form a stronger union. In this case it's either led by Texas, or Texas splits off to form a new country. Possibly some others break off as well. 3) Total chaos, the CSA separates into various squabbling states and alliances. The USA regains some territory, England, France and Germany move in and provide money and arms to their favourites. 4) A new war with the USA, the CSA loses some territory, but the rest form a tighter union out of fear of the US. These aren't the only possible outcomes, but I see them as the most likely.
Many states even had their own currency. That was a big problem for the south. When you went to a new state, your currency was useless.
