The Civil War began on 12 Apr 1861, and many have wondered, “Why is the Civil War considered the First Modern War? 

The Civil War witnessed significant changes in the history of war fairs between the battling states. It is the only period in which thousands succumbed. The Northern and Southern territories never agreed on the question of slavery. 

The slave trade was a key economic activity for the Southerners, who needed more economic stability from the slave trade. The Northerners wanted the abolishment of the trade as it went against human rights.

So, why is the Civil War considered the First Modern War?

The Civil War is considered the first modern War because of the industrial technology that changed how the War happened. In this War, rail development ensured troops were transported to the war regions on time. 

More sophisticated weapons like grenades, surveillance balloons, and armored trains replaced primitive tools. Also, communication through the Telegraph was instant.

Continue reading to learn more about Modern War and why it is considered the greatest War ever.

Understanding the Civil War in the USA (1861-1865)

The Civil War was a battle between the states of the USA, featuring The Union and The Confederacy. The confederacy was formed when states ceased from the Union. 

The leading cause of the secession was a disagreement over slavery and whether it would be permitted to expand into the western territories. 

The act would lead to the development of more slave states. Most worried that slavery would become extinct if an action was taken.

Abraham Lincoln was elected as the President of the USA in 1860 and came with massive changes that saw him face rebellion from several states. Abraham opposed slavery expansion into more territories.

Seven Slave territories moved from the union and formed the Confederacy, which had control over the forts and federal assets. 

Additional four states seceded under Jefferson Davis, making the confederacy have control of about a third of the population in US eleven states.

On January 1, 1863, Linoclin declared slaves in the opposing regions free. This was about 3.5 million out of the 4 million enslaved people in the area. 

On 9th April, the War ended as Licolin lived to see the victory. However, he was assassinated days later on 14th April 1865.

The Confederacy had lost much power and permanently surrendered group after group, with the last group giving up in June. After the collapse of the Confederacy, slavery was entirely abolished, and the four million slaves were now free. 

Civil rights were granted to the enslaved people, and the country’s rebuilding began with the Confederate states returning to the United States.

Factors That Intensified the Civil War In the USA

The Civil War in the US was one of the greatest wars ever. It led to the death of over 600,000 soldiers. It also led to the destruction of property as the states engaged in conflicts and battles. 

Secession and rebellion became the main factors in ensuring the demands were adhered to regarding slavery. Below are the factors that led to the beginning of the War

1. The Debate About Slavery

Slavery was a key business among the states. As much as the slave trade was an economic activity, some states felt like it was unfair to the slaves. 

The future of slavery was a critical question, with several states championing the expansion of the slave states to the western regions.

The United States had become a slave-holding region in the south and a free region in the north. New terror ties came up, and the question of whether the areas would be free or slave-holding emerged and became controversial. 

The regional issues became intense, leading to the outbreak of the Civil War. Unionists wanted the abolition of slavery, while the confederacy was for the expansion of slave territories. 

The Southern Whites believed that they had invested a lot in the slaves and the abolition of slavery would deny them economic opportunity.

2. The Push by the Abolitionists

The abolitionists were those who wanted an end to slavery. They believed it was morally wrong, and science they tried to object to slavery; it resulted in a civil war with those who were slaves. 

Through the War, a push and pull led to some of the adjustments in the slavery laws. 

There was an act prohibiting the importation of enslaved people, which went unopposed in Congress. Even though the effort bore fruits, there were still groups that didn’t go with the idea of abolishing slavery. 

Institutions like churches were divided over the idea, with some joining the northern territory and others in the southern territory. For example, in 1845, the Baptist Church split into the Northern and Southern due to slavery.

Some economists argued that the Southern part had been left undeveloped because of slavery. They felt like free labor would have had a positive impact on the development of the South.

3. Conflict Over Slave Territories

The Civil War began due to the slave states and the free states. The formation of new territories had to go through the question of whether it would be a slave or free state. Between 1803 and 1854, the United States acquired more territories. 

The new ones were equally divided into either slave or free states. Later, a collision of pro and anti-slavery forces began to fight for the territories in the Mississippi area.

4. The Issues About States’ Rights

The states in the United States were in a union and later split due to disagreement over slavery. The Southerners were in secession, while the Northerners believed in the Union.

5. Lincoln’s Election as President

Lincoln was elected as president in 1860. His election brought fear into the Southerners, who noted that Lincoln would stop the expansion of the slave trade and make all the slaves free. 

After five months, Lincoln was inaugurated, and within the five months, the Southerners were preparing for the Civil War. Other factors that led to the Civil War were protectionism and sectionalism.

The Major Innovations In The Civil War

Technological advancement during the Civil War is among the top things that made the war be considered as the first modern War. 

Initially, more traditional ways were applied in War. For example, soldiers had muskets that could only hold one bullet and had a closer shooting range of about 80 yards.

On transportation, horse vehicles were used. In addition, steam-powered trains formed part of the transportation for long-distance movement of goods. Communication was hectic as it relied on messengers and riders on horseback to pass crucial messages.

Below are the more important developments that changed the Civil War, making it the first modern War.

1. Invention of Telegraph 

Samuel Morse invented the Telegraph making communication easier. About 15,000 miles of telegraph cables were placed to aid military communication. Mobile telegraph wagons made communication easier. 

Lincoln was the first to use telegram to communicate with battlefield soldiers. He could organize real-time strategy meetings and pass orders to his men. 

The large-scale communication campaign placed Lincoln above the rebelling states that remained disadvantaged.

2. Hot Air Balloons for Aerial Reconnaissance

President Lincoln came up with the Balloon Corps. The hot air balloons enabled easy surveillance of the battlefields. 

The balloon commanders used the Telegraph to warn the commanders about the Confederates. With the right information, those on the ground could easily reposition guns and fire appropriately.

3. Use of Railroads

President Lincoln encouraged the use of railroads during the Civil War. The railroads were vital for moving men and commodities to the fields. The northern territory had an extensive rail system compared to the southern part. 

This made it easy to move people and soldiers to where they were needed on time. With the popularity of the railway, the center became a target of attack.

4. The Creation of the Army Ambulance Corps

During the War, transporting the wounded was challenging. Jonathan Letterman, then a Medical Director of the Army of the Potomac, created a system to seamlessly move the wounded for treatment.

The ambulances would go to the battlefield to pick up the wounded and deliver them to the dressing rooms. Later, the vehicles could take them to the hospitals for further treatment. Letterman’s ideas are still being implemented in the modern military.

5. Use of Long-range Weapons

Before the Civil War, less sophisticated weapons like muskets with a short shooting range were used in War. 

Such weapons require the shooter to be closer to the target for an accurate aim. However, the Civil War came with rifles that could spin bullets up to 900 feet.

The innovation meant that soldiers could target without moving closer and still aim at the enemy. The rifles used mini bullets, which were fast and accurate. The rifles contributed to the largest percentage of inquiries on the battlefield.

Soldiers also used ironclad warships, and since they were armored, they could effortlessly wipe out the southerner’s ships.

Conclusion

Why is the Civil War considered the first modern War? The introduction of modern ways of fighting using innovative technology began during the Civil War.

Most of the complex fighting equipment was introduced. Communication was made easy by the use of the Telegraph.

Other inventions like the long-range rifles and armored warships made the civil War considered the forest modern war.