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Civil War Benefits

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As a result of the Industrial Revolution, the Civil War was a time of technological advancements and patents that ultimately turned the tide and gave the Union an advantage over the Confederacy. The development of railroads, the telegraph, and new weapons contributed to the Union defeat of the Confederacy in 1865. Chiefly, one of the Union’s greatest asset during the war was their expansive railroad system. After the start of the Civil War, President Lincoln placed all railroads within the Union under government control in order to expedite the movement of troops and much-needed supplies. The 22,000 miles of railroad track resembled TENTACLES that spread throughout the Union, deploying troops and supplies at record speeds, and allowing for reinforcements to arrive quickly and efficiently. Troops were able to travel to southern …show more content…

Ultimately, the speed of correspondence between Lincoln and his troops gave the Union an edge over the Confederacy because he was able to gain an overview of all the aspects of the war. Equally as important, new weapons bolstered the Union’s side of the war. Progressive developments in infantry warfare made the made war deadlier than ever because old military tactics were unable to keep up. Minié-balls, bullets made of soft lead that shattered on impact and caused more destruction than the old bullets. In addition, the new rifle was faster to load than muskets and had a range of up to 400 yards compared to the musket’s 80 yards with increased accuracy. Not to mention, the Spencer-Carbine gun could fire 7 shots in 30 seconds and the first gun on a rotating turret was placed on an ironclad ship. Nonetheless, with the Union’s industrialization, they had most of the new technology due to its increased industrial capacity. In spite of this new breed of weaponry leading to a higher fatality rate for both sides, the Union had more men to replace troops and continue the war

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