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**Mike Irwin** · August 8, 2012, 04:14 PM

By the time the Civil War rolled around the United States was in, or just barely past, its infancy as an industrial powerhouse.

Much of the industrial techniques that we consider to be part and parcel to the industrial revolution, including standardized, interchangeable parts, were far more unique than they were commonplace in 1861.

One of the major issues that the US government had when it began letting contracts to private businesses for war supplies was standardization, both of parts for the machinery to make items, and for the items themselves.

It was not an easy conversion, and in many instances manufacturer's simply failed to meet those standards.

August 8, 2012, 04:14 PM	#48
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,381	By the time the Civil War rolled around the United States was in, or just barely past, its infancy as an industrial powerhouse. Much of the industrial techniques that we consider to be part and parcel to the industrial revolution, including standardized, interchangeable parts, were far more unique than they were commonplace in 1861. One of the major issues that the US government had when it began letting contracts to private businesses for war supplies was standardization, both of parts for the machinery to make items, and for the items themselves. It was not an easy conversion, and in many instances manufacturer's simply failed to meet those standards. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.