Different Eras are Much More Different from Present Time that People Realize

Back during the US Civil War era there were no progressives in the modern sense of the world.

This picture erroneously assumes that countries and people do not change as history progresses.

The erroneous Flintstones logic where he drives a prehistoric car to a prehistoric workplace, has a prehistoric pet, hangouts with prehistoric friends and so on. The are made to look 'faux' prehistoric but otherwise essentially elements of contemporary to the 1970s.

Actual people who fought in Civil War were basically the same as modern day Amish or even more poor and primitive than that. Except that it was not by choice as technologies that Amish do not use were not invented yet. So, everyone had to get by using horse driven carriages, mounted on the horse or on foot.

Back in the days Union side was probably jealous of the relative wealth, the South had compared to them. Slaveowners could afford 'founding father style' look with fancy coats, jabot and leather boots, while North did not have anything better than Amish fashion.

The US still has some Amish communities here and there. Of course, nowadays they are nothing but stubborn people who refuse to embrace modernity. However, they showcase life how it was back in 19th century well enough.

People of earlier centuries lead even more primitive life, compare to which even Amish might look fancy and sophisticated.

Life has changed a lot since 19th century or even 1970s when Flintstones were the thing. You can't apply the same logic and principles to modern people who has to deal with modern 21st century problems.