Civil War Technology Essay

The American Civil War was a gruesome conflict which resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties. While the war effort was pushed by technology to end the war sooner, the fatality rate showed a direct relationship to the increase in technology. New killing machines were produced, unique forms for scouting, and an overall increase in tactics. Inventors developed weapons such as the repeating rifle, the submarine, and balloons. Even the telegraph stemmed from this powerful era. The Civil War sprouted countless new technologies which contributed heavily towards military use.

Prior to the Civil War, the typical weapon for a soldier to carry was a single-fire musket. This resulted in slow drawn out battles with a large portion of close combat – musket’s had an effective range of around 80 yards. In contrast to this, the rifle was superior in nearly every aspect. The traditional rifle has a range of 1,000 yards, the only downside being the exceedingly long reload time. Additionally Claude Minié invented the ‘Minié ball’ which threatened opposing forces from a much greater distance away. The Minié ball changed the battlefield tactics because soldiers had to shelter themselves, thus swaying from
From the electronic milestones covered by the invention of the telegraph, to the Aerial developments made via the establishment of the balloon as an effective mode of transport. During the war-time it was not merely firearms which showed a great deal of practicality -from the Minié ball to drastically low firetime - but even nautical vessels. During the war both sides needed effective durable transport for troops and rations, and as such Iron ships were born. Even more so the war gave the North the perseverance to push on and fight. This urge to succeed is exactly what filled America with the resources to industrialize and make the American Dream