The Civil War was the first modern war due to communication inventions. The war between the Union and the Confederacy was one of the most influential battles fought in the history of the United States. This war determined the future of America. New technology inventions were responsible for the American Civil War being as intense as it was. Both the North and the South took advantage of the newly invented electric telegraph. Development of the mail system and journalism expanded throughout the nation, which was also a great asset to both sides.
One of the most important communication inventions during the war was the electric telegraph. Invented by Samuel Morse, the telegraph allowed people to communicate faster than the alternative hand …show more content…
A strip of paper ran through the bracket located at the left edge of the machine. Then a steel pin would poke dots and dashes into the paper, revealing a message in Morse Code. Some machines even used audible taps to deliver messages (Civil War Times). Operators would have to translate, then deliver the messages. These operators played a major role in the Civil War. Being a wartime operator meant traveling with the army to send and translate messages. This was a very risky job; one in every ten wartime operators were killed, captured, or wounded (Ethier Telegraph & Telegraphy). Linesmen were also necessary in the war. If a telegraph pole fell or the line was cut, it was a lineman 's job to fix it, making the line available for use again …show more content…
Although telegraphs dramatically increased communication throughout the U.S., much of the information pertaining to personal experiences and inside military information came from letters that people wrote. The mail system was used by families because telegraphs were expensive and used for shorter messages. Letters were also how soldiers made contact with their loved ones. The idea of using “dog tags” to identify soldier’s bodies originated from the American Civil War (Varhola). Soldiers were worried their bodies would not be identified after the bloody battles, so they wrote their names on paper, then pinned it to their
One of the most important communication inventions during the war was the electric telegraph. Invented by Samuel Morse, the telegraph allowed people to communicate faster than the alternative hand …show more content…
A strip of paper ran through the bracket located at the left edge of the machine. Then a steel pin would poke dots and dashes into the paper, revealing a message in Morse Code. Some machines even used audible taps to deliver messages (Civil War Times). Operators would have to translate, then deliver the messages. These operators played a major role in the Civil War. Being a wartime operator meant traveling with the army to send and translate messages. This was a very risky job; one in every ten wartime operators were killed, captured, or wounded (Ethier Telegraph & Telegraphy). Linesmen were also necessary in the war. If a telegraph pole fell or the line was cut, it was a lineman 's job to fix it, making the line available for use again …show more content…
Although telegraphs dramatically increased communication throughout the U.S., much of the information pertaining to personal experiences and inside military information came from letters that people wrote. The mail system was used by families because telegraphs were expensive and used for shorter messages. Letters were also how soldiers made contact with their loved ones. The idea of using “dog tags” to identify soldier’s bodies originated from the American Civil War (Varhola). Soldiers were worried their bodies would not be identified after the bloody battles, so they wrote their names on paper, then pinned it to their