<P> During the American Civil War (1861--1865), the Union referred to the United States of America and specifically to the national government of president Abraham Lincoln and the 20 free states and 5 border states that supported it . The Union was opposed by 11 southern slave states that formed the Confederate States, or "the Confederacy ." </P> <P> All of the Union's states provided soldiers for the U.S. Army, though the border areas also sent tens of thousands of soldiers to the Confederacy . The Border states were essential as a supply base for the Union invasion of the Confederacy, and Lincoln realized he could not win the war without control of them . The Northeast provided the industrial resources for a mechanized war producing large quantities of munitions and supplies, as well as financing for the war . The Midwest provided soldiers, food, horses, financial support, and training camps . Army hospitals were set up across the Union . Most states had Republican governors who energetically supported the war effort and suppressed anti-war subversion in 1863--64 . The Democratic Party strongly supported the war in 1861 but in 1862 was split between the War Democrats and the anti-war element led by the "Copperheads ." The Democrats made major electoral gains in 1862 in state elections, most notably in New York . They lost ground in 1863, especially in Ohio . In 1864 the Republicans campaigned under the National Union Party banner, which attracted many War Democrats and soldiers and scored a landslide victory for Lincoln and his entire ticket . </P>

Who was the union and who was the confederacy
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