essay+mf1

Music played a huge role in bringing people with their "beliefs" of the Civil War together, on both sides. What am I talking about? North VS. the South, of course. In this essay, you will be reading about how the implementation of music served as a big impact to both of the sides of the war. Don't believe me? Keep reading. Nowadays, music always seems to cheer us up. Coincidently, there were inspirational marching songs for boosting the spirits (and confidence) of soldiers fighting on whichever side. There were many, many, different styles of music that were listened to that each corresponded with the mood or thoughts that were meant to be portrayed. For example, Union soldiers enjoyed patriotic and sentimental songs. These songs would remind the people of their devotion to their side (north/south). But, obviously there were also other commonly listened to and played songs such as spirituals for negros, songs that soldiers sang when they were sad or homesick, songs that families sang at home when they were missing their loved ones away at war, or just songs in general that were merely created for pumping up the thought of war. Robert E. Lee once said without music, there would've been no army. It seems strange that music could be used so greatly as such a happy help for something as devastating as war, but it was.

When it comes down to physical value, the drums played various roles during the war. The variety of ways was endless; you would never guess that the drums were so important. Drums would wake up the soldiers, and alert them when certain events were taking place. They not only were on the battlefield--where they used drums to communicate orders from the commanding officers and signal troop movement--but were being used or "resembled" at home. Families at home would buy drums and play familiar songs that were played during or about the Civil War. This shows how the use of music was being carried throughout the people by showing their encouragement for the Civil War.

Another purpose that music served during the Civil War was increasing the rivalry between the two sides. Do you know the reason why most Civil War songs have two or more versions? Probably not. (Even though I told you when I researched it.) When one side, north or south, would play a war-related song, most of the time the other side would like the song--so much, that they would take the song and re-write the lyrics to it to make it "their own". Thus being the reason why we don't know which Civil War songs are the original, and why songs have different ways to sing the lyrics. This proposed the idea of rivalry between music. Looking at this alone, it makes sense to conclude that performing music to the best of a side's ability was so common each day. It made both sides have and want more competition between each other.

Music not only involved the ones who served in the Civil War, and the adult-supporters, but even the children of the time. This includes all boys and girls of both sides. Kids would have toy drums at home and learn how to play familiar war-related songs to encourage their ambition towards the war -- without them even really knowing. Just like how children today play pretend "war"; they don't have an understanding of what they are encouraging. Even songs that were created for the purpose of war, like the well-known children's favorite, "Yankee Doodle", are known by everyone!---including our modern-day society. One source says, "Men and boys as young as nine left the comforts of their mid 19th century homes to take up an instrument and join in the swelling war." The fact that music which put forward the Civil War was spread throughout the society as whole (including children!), is a big surprise that most people would not ever think would be true.

You should now have a clear understanding of how the importance of music played a huge role with bringing both sides of the Civil War with their beliefs together. I wrote this essay to the best of my ability, and it may not be the most impressive essay you've ever read (or maybe it is), but hey! I did it.