"I read once :If you don't remember who your ancestors are, then you don't deserve to be remembered by your descendants:"

I agree with that statement where ever it came from. Our parents wanted us to have better than they, we in turn wish for our children a quality of life better than ours. It just doesn't happen in many cases.
As an example, I can use some of my own family. Before the WBTS, they owned land and farmed, some had more than others, but were holding their own. Life was busy, but they reaped the fruits of their labor. Yes, a couple had a few slaves but they were the exception. After the war they returned to a life of financial, physical and emotional ruin. The land was gone and no funds to start over in Alabama. I believe this was before Alabama was readmitted to the Union so of course they were on the bottom of the 'dole' if there was one.
So, they moved on into South Alabama and Escambia County Florida to attempt to start anew with farming and employment in the logging trade. It was the 'factory' down here at the time. Brutal at times and dangerous, but they found work and homesteaded. A couple of my GGGrands were so badly injured in the war they couldn't work at a full time logging job. The younger sons did that to help out. Then the lumber trade overcut and played out.
The Government jobs came in with the Navy Yard. I have to say that my family was employed there through my father's generation in different jobs. Although my Grandfather worked at the Navy Yard, he also had to have a farm to keep his family of six children. Somehow he worked in the cattle drives to round up the free range cattle each year to add to the family income. He died at 56 of a stroke. His wife the same year of cancer. My mom was 13 at that time. Her oldest sister raised mom, her twin brother and a sister who was in high school at that time. The two older brothers helped out.
The one constant employer here in those days was the Navy Yard and it was the one that the young men knew if they could get on there, they'd have it made for life----until the old early 'diversity' stuff started. Pretty soon Public Works had 8 men to operate 1 fork lift. That's our Federal Government at it's best for ya. My Dad retired from Material Control and was happy to leave what he saw becoming a very good ole boys club. He never involved himself in clubs. In the 1980's they resized the Navy Yard and NADEP was no more. Lots of folks lost jobs. Now, they shiver every time the BRAC committee comes through. Never count on anything that has to do with the Federal Government. That is the lesson it took two generations to relearn. The other factories or industies such as Solutia, Champion Paper and others have had major layoffs too. So, families are starting over again, just like they did after the war. Is this what they mean when talking about things "going in cycles"? There never was a given promise of anything by the Feds. They took and gave at will. The diversity card was played big time and still is. That is left over from the Civil War, can't tell me any different.
The only thing that was the same is the land itself that remained in the family until some chose to sell. I live on land my grandfather bought in 1897. The taxes keep going up on it but I'm determined to keep it because trying to do so killed my Grandfather. He deserves to have his wish fulfilled.
Pam