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New Technology In The American Civil War

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The American civil war was one of the biggest wars of its time and the bloodiest in the history of the country. The American civil war is also considered by many to be the first modern war. Modern warfare as combines many aspects that in the past weren’t used at all or were scarcely used. Some of the aspects of modern war are use of new technologies, the civilians who affected the war, the people who were affected by the war and the use of factories to mass produce weapons. There were many new technologies that were used to gain advantages in the war. Not all of these were weapons that directly killed the enemy combatants but all would affect the outcome of the war. The rail road’s had recently been constructed and were ready to transport …show more content…

Another technological innovation that would change the war was the use of iron ships rather than wooden ones. This would change naval warfare forever. Iron ships were a lot stronger and a lot more durable. The naval aspect of the war would really come into play later when the union was able to keep naval control off the coast of confederacy. The blockade set up would limit the confederacy’s ability to trade with foreign countries. Trade was essential to the confederacy as they had less factories and less people to work in those factories making them less effective. The telegraph was another new invention that would help war efforts. Communication between the frontlines and home bases would be vital in commanding armies. Commanders could report everything from the …show more content…

There was a “…a vast propaganda effort to mobilize public opinion” (give me liberty by Eric Foner page 506). Civilians at their homes tried to help rally the troops to fight the enemy and tried to help make a reason for people to fight. Civilians also played a significant role in the psychological war. General Sherman led an army to Virginia to fight General Lee. As they made their way through the southern lands General Sherman told his troops to burn plantations, kill livestock, pillage houses, rape women, and kill civilians. He told them to do this in an effort to intimidate the enemy. In this instance general Sherman was practicing early forms of psychological warfare (week five lecture video). While at war the men could not finance themselves and they could not farm the food necessary to keep the war drive. The troops would need the mass support from the people who didn’t go to war. The involvement of civilians in war would become one of the defining features of modern

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Some of the technological inventions that impacted the civil war were things such as the repeating rifle a.k.a the Spencer repeating rifle, the ironclad, and the Gatling gun. The Spencer repeating rifle was used during the American civil war but didn’t replace the standard muzzle-loading rifled muskets in use at that time. However, these weapons could fire more than one bullet before needing to reload. That made these guns were more efficient and dangerous. Like many other Civil War technologies, these weapons were available to Northern troops but not Southern ones because southern factories had neither the equipment nor the know-how to produce them which shows just how vital these technological advances were in winning the war.

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Taken as a percentage of today's population, the death toll would have be equal to six-million ("Civil War Casualties"). The Civil War is known as “The First Modern War” being the first war fought after the Industrial Revolution. The war saw newer, faster weapons including the rifle, minie ball, and other such improvements.

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1854 Words | 8 Pages

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Although the American Civil War is normally seen as something that threatened to tear our great country apart, their are many great inventions and innovations that resulted from this time. Some of these advancements include railroads, the telegraph, long-range weapons, and the ancestor of all machine guns, the gatling gun. Many of these inventions went on to play a huge role in how the civil war played out. While others, such as the cotton gin, had minimal effect on the war, but a direct effect on both the men in service, and the people back home. Early war technology was seen as very dull, and ineffective.

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