Civil War Essay
Alex Hagwood
8th Period
3-5-09
Civil War Essay There were many contributions that were made during the Civil War that have made an impact on us today, including weapons, medicine, and fighting tactics. These have all improved with today’s technology. They have also become more sophisticated. Weapons have increasingly become more efficient and accurate, but they have had a model to work with. First, you have cannons and mortars. These could use a wide range of ammunition and had a long range. A mortar could fire with a range of two miles. The cannon and mortar could fire grape shot, cannon balls, bar shot, and other ammunition. Cannons were used on ships later on throughout history, such as merchant and pirate ships. Another contribution was the Gatling gun, or the machine gun. Instead of being hand cranked like it was back then, today’s machine gun is automated. The Gatling gun model is still used in today’s war, just greatly improved. Last is the Springfield rifle. This rifle has a design that is still used today; it just has better accuracy, range and efficiency. Medicine has greatly influenced history and modern time. The American Red Cross, created by Clara Barton during the Civil War, still exists today and is going strong. The Red Cross has especially helped people through natural disasters, such as hurricane Katrina. The Civil War’s anesthetics and painkillers are still used today. Chloroform, Ether, Morphine, and Opium are widely known and used. Opium, however, is an addictive drug and people fought with China for it during the Opium War. One concept of amputation saved many people from bleeding to death. One man came up with the idea of sewing up arteries and veins with sutures. The North used silk sutures, whereas the South used cotton sutures. Civil War tactics and American Revolutionary War tactics are commonly used today. The used of lines and rows were used during many wars, such as World War I and World War II. One tactic
8th Period
3-5-09
Civil War Essay There were many contributions that were made during the Civil War that have made an impact on us today, including weapons, medicine, and fighting tactics. These have all improved with today’s technology. They have also become more sophisticated. Weapons have increasingly become more efficient and accurate, but they have had a model to work with. First, you have cannons and mortars. These could use a wide range of ammunition and had a long range. A mortar could fire with a range of two miles. The cannon and mortar could fire grape shot, cannon balls, bar shot, and other ammunition. Cannons were used on ships later on throughout history, such as merchant and pirate ships. Another contribution was the Gatling gun, or the machine gun. Instead of being hand cranked like it was back then, today’s machine gun is automated. The Gatling gun model is still used in today’s war, just greatly improved. Last is the Springfield rifle. This rifle has a design that is still used today; it just has better accuracy, range and efficiency. Medicine has greatly influenced history and modern time. The American Red Cross, created by Clara Barton during the Civil War, still exists today and is going strong. The Red Cross has especially helped people through natural disasters, such as hurricane Katrina. The Civil War’s anesthetics and painkillers are still used today. Chloroform, Ether, Morphine, and Opium are widely known and used. Opium, however, is an addictive drug and people fought with China for it during the Opium War. One concept of amputation saved many people from bleeding to death. One man came up with the idea of sewing up arteries and veins with sutures. The North used silk sutures, whereas the South used cotton sutures. Civil War tactics and American Revolutionary War tactics are commonly used today. The used of lines and rows were used during many wars, such as World War I and World War II. One tactic