The Civil War is often considered the first "modern" American war for a variety of reasons. What was significant and wholly new about the war America waged war between the North and South during the Civil War? Think in terms of technology, economy, and tactics. Also, how did the fighting of the war differ from the its beginning to its end? As we move into a discussion of the emergence of our modern era with the dawn of the 20th century, we'll see this model of warfare repeatedly, but on a much larger scale.