Gauge Zidlick
Mollie Swayne
English 102
12 February 2018
How Technology Advancements Effected the Civil War
The Civil War brought about many different advancements in a variety of areas during the time period. Everything from battlefield communication to weapon technology received an upgrade, allowing both the North and the South to become more effective fighters on the battlefield. New weapon technology allowed soldiers to engage each other in ways never thought of in previous wars. Soldiers were able to fight at much larger distances and with the invention of repeating rifles they were able to fire more bullets in a shorter amount of time. This caused army generals to have to rethink battle plans and come up with new strategies to avoid
…show more content…
These muskets had a smooth bore, the inner barrel was smooth, and used musket balls as projectiles. Musket balls were made of lead and had an effective range of about 300 feet. This caused armies to fight closer to each other due to the limited range of their weaponry. The musket also only held one bullet before a soldier had to take the time to reload. This reload involved loading the barrel with gunpowder and a musket ball before taking a ram rod and packing both as tightly down as the soldier could. The long reload time as well as a short effective range caused armies to look for better solutions to make their soldiers more effective on the battlefield. One of the first improvements made to the musket was a rifled barrel. A rifled barrel consists of spiraled groves down the inner barrel that gave bullets a spin as they exited the barrel. This spin allowed the bullets to travel roughly 900 feet allowing soldiers to engage each other at a much longer distance. Displayed in Artifact B, rifling also carried over into cannons where the inner barrels were being rifled similar to muskets. Artifact B was able to fly further and faster than previously used cannon shells due the new rifling techniques and design of the shell. The increased range of the rifled barrels caused a change in how battles were fought during the Civil War. Compared to wars before, military generals now had to take advantage of the range …show more content…
Artifact C shows what was called a Spencer Rifle. This rifle allowed for soldiers to load up to seven shots of a .52-caliber bullet and them to be fired rapidly. This new rifle was a major advantage for soldiers as they could load and fire multiple bullets where as the standard musket that could only load and fire one bullet at a time. Pictured next to Artifact C, the Spencer Rifle used a .52-caliber bullet that was a self-contained unit. This meant that the bullet and gunpowder were contained within a metallic cartridge that could be loaded into the rifle. This technology allowed for soldiers to carry more ammunition onto the battlefield as well as load the rifles faster due to not having to pack the gunpowder and bullet into the rifle. Compared to previous muskets the Spencer Rifle was more effective and deadlier on the front lines causing more casualties than in previously fought wars. Artifact D pictures a Colt model revolver used by Navy officers during the war. This revolver worked similar to how Spencer Rifles did but instead of seven shots the revolver was six. Weapon technology like this allowed for officers to have a means of defending themselves while also being able to ride on horseback. The effect the Spencer Rifle had on the Civil War was how fast it was able to shoot. The rapid-fire ability of the Spencer Rifle
Ian Graham Period 4 10/28/16 Section 1 - Muskets Before the weapons we know now, muskets were a major weapon. Muskets were slow to load taking around 20 seconds to do so and often misfired. These guns had calibers ranging from .69 to .75 inches. Muskets usually fired anywhere from 80-100 yards but were inaccurate weapons but did the job. Muskets could be fitted with bayonets, a short dual sided blade meant for close combat.
There are many inventions that have been invented to help benefit Texas. Some of these inventions are the Parrott Rifle, the Brooke Gun, barbed wire and the discovery of pasteurization. The Parrott Rifle was invented in 1860 and patented in 1861. It was invented by a man named Robert Parker Parrott. Parrott was a past West Point graduate and also he was an ordnance officer.
The south made the James river impossible to cross. Torpedoes and landmines effected the Union throughout the civil war. (history.com) Cannons were one of the most used weapons in the civil war. A cannon was a large heavy long barrel that was made of metal. It was packed with a large amount of gunpowder and a ball with a fuse hanging out to ignite.
In this essay, we are going to address the difference in the Field Artillery Cannon Tubes and the positive and negative effects they have had in each war over the years including changes to the cannon tubes from the original cast iron muzzle loaded tube. Examples, being the bore rifling and the muzzle break. Advancements such as these have affected the way the Field Artillery has fought in battles such as the battle of Monmouth where the max range of guns during this era was about 1,000 yards. Today we have the ability to shoot 18,100 meters with a standard high explosive round. Cannon tubes have made all the difference over the years we have been utilizing the Field Artillery to fight wars.
They had many different weapons like cannons, rifles, swords, and bayonets. Society The
Even though the railroad was made before the separation between the north and the south and it’s main job was to provide supplies for both sides, the invention of the railroad greatly contributed to the civil war. During the war the railroad was used to provide supplies for the war. If this invention didn’t exist then both sides would rely on the mississippi river and other channels of water and both sides would be a little more similar when it comes to culture. If this invention didn’t cause the war it greatly contributed to it, similar to many other forms of technology created during the
The Gatling gun played a significant role after the Civil War. This gun gave small numbers of U.S. troops enormous advantages in firepower over the western
The US Model 1816 Musket was a .69 caliber weapon that were very effective for hitting targets around 100 yards away. This musket was not a reliable gun but it was still used often in the war. When the war began there was a shortage of firearms on both
1. North had Advantages over South The North had the numbers period. When it came down to men of battling age, the Union had the edge through around two to one. In any case, similar to I just stated, significantly more Southern men were ready (or even energized) to war. The North also had more noteworthy industrial limit.
Both the Civil War and World War I had their respective shares of technological advancements prior to both conflicts taking off. Leadership found the advancements both appealing and appalling. The advancements changed the way the battles were fought, but at what cost in the beginning? With the Civil War edging closer to the horizon in 1861, a new terrifying weapon was being brought to the forefront.
As history progressed through time, war has evolved but from the first conflict between man to current engagements, war will always be based around military logistics. As defined in history.com, logistics is the supply, movement and maintenance of an armed force both in peacetime and under operational conditions. Unlike any war up to the 1861, the Civil War introduced the first infantry regiment of sharpshooters. As a sharpshooter you were assign the mission to kill enemy target of importance. According to Infantry Bugler, Hiram Berdan, founder of the Sharpshooters, was appointed as the colonel of the 1st United States Sharpshooter Regiment.
Although, some of the technology failed in its ineffectiveness, other technological innovations such as weaponry and communicative devices not only caused bloodier wars, but such innovative advancements have also influenced the results of the Civil War. In order to understand the significance of technological innovation, one must know the different kinds of advanced technology such as the tools the people used for combat, communication, transportation, and survival. The Union and the Confederates used weaponry such as guns, rockets, grenades, and mines for better accuracy and efficient shooting. They also used warships and floodlights for sinking and searching other ships.
The Burnside carbine, Springfield rifle, Colt revolver rifle, Lorenz rifle, Smith carbine, Tarpley carbine, Spencer repeating rifle, and Whitworth rifle were rifles all used in the war between the North and South. A rifle musket used by both the Union and the Confederates was the 1853 Enfield Rifle Musket (or .577 Enfield) which was the standard-issue for British troops. Imported from England,
The American Civil War changed Americans and their ideals about freedom in many ways. Northern and Southern United states began to have simmering tensions for the states’ rights versus federal authority, plus westward expansion, and slavery had huge effects on the states. An election which made anti-slavery Republican Abraham Lincoln the president of the United States of America in 1860, caused seven of the southern states to concede from the Union to make The Confederate States Of America soon after four more joined afterwards. It changed Americans in many ways as neighbors fought each other through the 4 gruesome years of the war. Conflict between the sides were like fights between brother and brother instead with many deaths.
The American Civil War produced a unique period of opportunity for Northern businessmen during the war. The length of the struggle and the 2 million men that the North put into the field created a huge demand for small arms during the war. During this time businessmen scrambled to obtain arms from Europe, acquire domestic supplies of weapons, create factories to produce weapons and develop new small arms. The ability of the federal government to provide these weapons is one of the most important events of the war. Without these weapons the war may have lasted longer ended in Confederate victory.