Factors That Changed Within Military Technology (296 Words)

One of the biggest factors that changed within military technology was the advancement of weaponry. A broad variety of weapons were used throughout the American Revolution. While some were well established weapons from previous wars, others were more experimental in nature and did not gain prominence until much later in history. Muskets, cannons, swords, sabres, and flintlock pistols were amongst the most common weapons during this period. America also experimented with the concept of an underwater vessel during the Revolutionary War. A submarine, then called “the turtle” was invented in order to attach explosives to British ships without being detected.

As time progressed, the advancement of weaponry also progressed. The invention of the minnie ball is a prime example of the advancement. The development of this half inch lead rifle bullet revolutionized warfare, whole the slowness of Civil War military leaders to adapt their tactics to adjust to the new technology was greatly responsible for the overwhelming number of battlefield deaths. The use of rifles in battle was largely limited to an elite corp of marksmen until the introduction of what soldiers commonly called the “minnie ball.” Expensive, tight fitting projectiles had to be jammed into the grooves of the rifle’s muzzle, a time consuming process. The invention of a smaller, hollow based bullet that could be loaded quickly and easily rammed into the bore, expanding when the weapon was fired to catch in the rifling and be shot spinning out of the barrel. That spin made the mini ball more expensive and a highly precise traveling projectile. This invention enabled an average soldier to easily hit a target 250 yards away and reaching a max distance of a half mile or more. This is only one of the many changes within the advancement of technology.



Maslowski, Peter and Allan R. Millett. For the Common Defense: A Military History of the United States of America. New York: The Free Press, 1194.