Military Uniforms

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how the word "uniform" mostly conjures up two examples, the military and prison. It analyzes how, although uniforms are designed with functionality in mind, they also have features that either give power to the wearer or take power away. It looks at the history of uniforms in the American militia, shows how rank insignia gives the wearer unquestionable power over his subordinates, and how, with military rank insignias prominently displayed, no matter which of the plethora of uniforms a soldier is wearing, a fellow member of the military can quickly determine if the person he or she is seeing is a superior.

From the Paper:

"The uniforms of early America were as varied as the groups who fought in them, although they too occasionally had design elements that signified rank, most of the deviation was to signify which company a man was a member of. For example, "in 1772 the uniform of the Independent Foot Companies of New York were, for the Grenadiers blue, with red facings, for the Fusileers, the same with bearskin caps. The Forresters and the Rangers wore short green coats with buff or crimson facings (and) the dark blue with red facings was worn by the artillery." (Long) Each company had unique uniform systems. And, if a company did have variations within its troops, they didn't always have variations indicating the rank of the wearer. With all of the different uniforms in use, one company would not necessarily understand the differences of another company's uniforms."

More papers on Military Uniforms:

• Analytical Essay # 136401 : "Costume in Victorian and Military History"
• Descriptive Essay # 106980 : "The Uniform Code of Military Justice"
• Essay # 62567 : "Military Dress from Mesopotamia to the Middle Ages"

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