This is a free essay sample available for all students. If you are looking where to buy pre written essays on the topic “How Did the Civil War Change the United States”, browse our private essay samples.
The American civil war is one of the most pivotal events in the history of the United States of America. Not only did it change the lives of African Americans – even to this day – it also changed the country as a whole.
What was the impact of the Civil War on the unfolding story of the United States? The author in the sample essay digs deep into the consequences of one of the most impactful historical events in America and reflects on how it could have changed the face of the country today.
Get that top score on your history essay with our affordable essay writing services. Our team of academic writers is ready to assist in crafting your written requirements.
Looking Back at the American Civil War: Outcomes and Consequences of One of the Bloodiest Wars in American History
The famed tale of the war between the Confederate Army and Union Army continues to be retold and re-enacted today. Much has been told about the details of the escalating tension and conflict between the Northern states and Southern states that led to one of the deadliest wars in the history of the United States.
We know that the North eventually won the war, but how has this ultimate victory changed the lives of Americans today? Surely we feel some of the consequences and implications of the Civil War. Here are a few ways the famous battles made an impact on how Americans live today.
We benefit from great medical must-haves, such as hospitals and ambulances.
Going to the hospital and riding in an ambulance are common scenarios we take for granted today, but did you know that these were made possible by the battles? If we go back to the timeline of the battles, it happened just as modern medicine was beginning to emerge. As a result, America’s pioneer ambulance corps was established during wartime, with various medical front liners deployed to help wounded soldiers. They were to take them off the battlefield and transport them to the nearby hospital.
This was a big change from life pre-war as people were mostly treated at home before the battles broke out. After the North triumphed over the South, these ambulances and nurses corps continued to exist permanently all over America. One of the wars’ most famous nurses was Clara Barton, who eventually launched the American Red Cross.
Technology plays a big part in our communication with others.
If you think that technology only exists in our day and age, remember that President Abraham Lincoln was tech-savvy himself. Did you know that he is the only President of the United States to possess a patent? It is of no surprise, considering that he lived through the Industrial Revolution.
He was also inherently interested in technology and innovation, and how these could improve battle strategies and techniques. One of the things he established was the Balloon Corps, which became a form of aerial espionage to gain an advantage over the Confederate Army. He even advocated the development and use of rapid-fire weapons in order to have a tactical advantage while fighting.
Perhaps one of the most notable things about Lincoln is his passion for the telegram, which was just invented some years ago then. Since the White House was not in possession of its own telegram connection, Lincoln would go to the War Department twice a day to get updates and send orders to the field.
His attachment to telegram communication eventually sparked a wave of innovation, birthing common communication devices such as the telephone and the Internet – all things we are dependent on today.
We fall under the category of “Democratic” or “Republican.”
The Republican Party came into existence because of anti-slavery activists as a way to resist and fight the Southern Democrats’ power. Did you know that the name “Republican” means to prioritize the Republic’s interests over the states? Abraham Lincoln was also the first elected Republican president.
As we know, the Republican and Democratic parties continue to exist today, long after the Civil War ended. They have always been the most popular and well-known U.S. parties in history.
War reportage brings us as close to the battlefield as possible.
The Civil War also changed the game for war journalism. It was the first in U.S. history to enable those back home to witness the war intimately through the style of reporting. It made use of eyewitness accounts from those who were on the field, cascading the news via telegraph to all of the nation’s newspapers. The news was released almost in real-time, allowing people to receive fresh and relevant stories on a daily basis.
While photography was not yet an element of the news cycle at the time, the American Civil war was the first battle in history to have been documented by photographers. The most famous war photographer at the time was Matthew Brady.
We consider some rights completely untouchable.
Because of the human-centric issues that inevitably led to the battles, there are a few key amendments in the U.S. Constitution that have more of a sentimental value to us. We treasure them and hold them dear to our hearts because of what happened in the past.
The 13th amendment proclaims the total abolishment of slavery, while the 14th amendment announces the American citizenship of all those born and naturalized in the United States. Finally, the 15th amendment details the right to vote as something that can be accessed by people from all backgrounds and walks of life.
Conclusion
We may not have lived through the Civil War, but we experience its long-standing consequences today, many of them for the better.
FAQs on How Did the Civil War Change the United States
❓ How did the Civil War help the United States?
The war, while it could have been prevented, played a major role in the modernization of America. From its economy to modern technology, a lot of the things we enjoy today were birthed then.
❓ How did the Civil War change the overall economy of the United States?
A lot of economic growth was spurred by the Union as the battles raged on. The North underwent quick industrialization and applied it to combat, strategy, and communication. A big reason behind its speedy modernization was that the Northern states were not reliant on slavery. They developed the machinery and equipment to make processes more efficient. The same cannot be said for the Southern states, which struggled to keep up because they were highly dependent on slaves to ramp up production.