6. The Union Blockade (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War (1861-1865), the Union implemented a comprehensive naval blockade of Confederate ports, aiming to suffocate the South’s economy by restricting cotton exports and war material imports. This strategy, known as the Anaconda Plan, involved deploying a vast fleet to patrol the Southern coastline, effectively cutting off trade routes. The blockade’s effectiveness contributed significantly to the North’s victory and set precedents for modern naval strategy (nps.gov).
