Civil war technology free essay sample

Civil War Technology led historians to call the American Civil War the first modern war because of the array of new technology with which it was fought. The new technology ranged from weapons to cameras and telegraphs to tin cans. New weapons allowed soldiers to be more effective, but this new technology also meant that more soldiers were killed. The invention of camera’s made this war the first conflict to be accurately recorded with real-life images. This made the civilians more aware of what was happening in the war compared to before when they could only learn by an artist’s impressions. Telegraphs meant that commanders could communicate more quickly with each other and with their respective presidents. An underrated aspect of the war was the use of tin cans. Tin cans allowed food to be shipped longer distances without spoiling, although the food offered in these convenient packages were not as varied or as tasty as modern canned goods. We will write a custom essay sample on Civil war technology or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page At the beginning of the war, both sides still used the old styled muskets that had been used in previous wars. They lacked accuracy and weren’t nearly as deadly as guns are today and allowed the soldiers to line up across from eachother and fire the weapons at eachother. The next year the Union began supplying its troops with rifles, which were easier to load and put a spin on a bullet, increasing its accuracy and firing range. By 1863, most infantrymen on both sides had the new rifles. Another improvement was a new bullet, called the minie ball, which was easier to load into a rifle than the older type of ammunition. The new guns improved a soldiers fighting effectiveness, but they also inflicted more causalities than the older weapons. Minie balls caused more widespread wounds and tissue damage than the older ammo and Civil War surgeons were hard pressed to deal with these more extensive injuries. The combination of the minie balls and new rifles proved to be deadly. Hundreds of thousands died of disease. An estimated 620,000 men lost their lives in the line of duty. Because of the many advances in Civil War technology used during it, the American Civil War can truly be called the first modern war. It was the last major war to use wooden ships in combat and the first to use armored ships. After the war, experts built on technology even more, to get to where technology is today.