The Civil War<span> was the first </span>war<span> in which </span>railroads were<span> a major factor. The 1850s had seen enormous growth in the </span>railroad industry<span> so that by 1861, 22,000 miles of track had been laid in the Northern states and 9,500 miles in the South.</span>
Answer: The telegraph made communication much easier, the railroad made transportation of goods and people quicker and easier. The sewing machine made life on the plains easier.