There were many technological innovations through the 15th-17th centuries that helped influence turning points in History. Some of those examples include shipbuilding, navigation and others. The most influential of all of them however, is gunpowder.
Gunpowder is an important invention of China. When the Mongols conquered China and established the Yuan dynasty, they helped the diffusion of that technology by utilizing it in their future military campaigns. The Mongols utilized gunpowder based weapons in order to siege well-fortified cities and tear down enemy walls. With time there became three so-called “gunpowder empires,” which include the Safavid, Ottoman and Mughal empires. They were called that due to their heavy reliance on gunpowder based weapons. Additionally, they accomplished multiple successful campaigns with gunpowder-based weapons, which led to the expansion of their respective empires. With the inclusion of gunpowder weapons, and also growing populations, empires also established professional standing armies. It led to wars of attrition, in which armies focused more on size. It became more important for empires to have armies with a lot of infantry, than having a smaller number of experienced warriors. Having a standing army lead to empires increasing taxes, which were in part due to empires
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Old styles of fortifications became easily destroyed by newly invented canons and were eventually replaced by star-forts. Star forts started in Italy, and then spread throughout Europe and other parts of the world. It was significant because it wasn’t easily destroyed by most cannons, and it could be easily defended against waves of infantry attacks. They are called star forts because the bird-eye view was that of a star, which allowed at least two points to have visual contact with attacking infantry, no matter the
New inventions in communication such as the telephone invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876 and soon after radio communication made long distance communication quicker and easier than using a telegraph http://www.skwirk.com/p-c_s-14_u-424_t-1100_c-4258/the-second-industrial-revolution/nsw/history/the-industrial-revolution/the-impact-of-the-industrial-revolution. Transportation was influenced by the invention of electric traction and the electric motor which were used in streetcars and subway systems. Manufacturing was also influenced by electricity; it allowed production to rely on artificially generated power rather than the force of human strength or steam power which greatly increased work productivity http://teachinghistory.org/history-content/ask-a-historian/24470.
Ming China in premodern times was not as populated and geographically large as it is today, but it was still quite large in both aspects, especially comparing to other empires around such era. About hlaf of chinas population worked for the government in some form. These people known as bureocracts were highly educated and knew how to read and write. Education aided the country to be smart in trade, foreing aspects, and army tactics. Having most of the country educated in political manners also meant their strong army would be intelligent enough to come up with techniques to defend the territory as well as invading sorrounding lands.
As the late 19th century progressed, technological ideas and inventions began to thrive. The notion that technology would impact life as we know it was an unbelievable idea to comprehend. People had no idea that something so simple such as the light bulb would become so vital to them and for century’s to come. Inventions such as, the typewriter, barbed wire, telephone, Kodak camera, and electric stove were created, however the major inventions created and use tremendously today are, Medicine, Electricity, and Transportation.
Alchin (n.d.) explains that crenellations were introduced to castles during the Medieval Period (1066- 1154). Crenels were used to provide a terrace and good vantage point from which the soldiers protecting the castle would launch arrows and shoot guns at approaching enemies. Merlons (upright section of crenellations) were used to protect soldiers from the ammunition of their lower enemies, (See Figure 2). There were some merlons later designed with slits and gun ports, making the soldiers completely protected when firing arrows and guns, (“Castle Architecture-Walls.”n.d.). From the 13th century, crenellations were built with wooden shutters for added protection, (“Castle Architecture-Walls.” n.d.). Crenellations also had walkways behind them which allowed soldiers to quickly move around the defenses of the castle. The overall design of crenellations changed frequently to make them more defensive and protective. The fishtail merlon was a design that was described as a defensive beauty. This look added a unique design to the castle while allowing the defenders of the castle to be very hard to harm. You can see this fishtail design on many castles including the Fenis Castle, (See Figure 3), (Trynoski,
With the development of the Gunpowder Empires came the development of improvements in mining, metallurgy, and technology. As well, the use of guns and cannons allowed the empires to create and supply a strong standing army. These developments allowed for improvement and centralization of bureaucracy in all empires. However, this is the end of similarities between the empires. The most successful empire in utilizing gunpowder was the Ottomans; mainly due to two consecutive leaders, Selim the Inexorable (r. 1512-20) and Suleyman the Magnificent (r. 1520-66). The Ottomans differed...
The Mongols, a nomadic society in the 13th century, were quickly able to conquer a vast amount of land in Eurasia. The Mongols were able to accomplish expanding their empire so widely and so fast because they had many military tactics, and their army was extremely well trained. These both got them a leg up on their enemies. The Mongols were incredibly ruthless at times in battle and used interrogation tactics to gain intel. Plus, their soldiers were trained from a very young age and always prepared.
Many things defined 16th and 17th century Europe. Most recall it to be the era of the Renaissance; of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign; of a time where industry took its first steps and people no longer thought the world to be flat. It was an era that led to the way we live today. But perhaps one of the most essential contributions to modern day society to come from this period of time is the technology.
Both the Han and Roman empires emphasized on territorial expansions. By utilizing their powerful militaries, they consolidated their power within and across borders, which created stable trade networks for their economic bases. Land equated to wealth and power. Through integration of the local domains, both empires succeeded in political stability. For the Han Empire, their expansion abroad pushed through ecological limits under Emperor Wu Di ( 181-87 BCE), who made military service compulsory. The army expanded bordered into northern Vietnam and southeastern China. Although there were military threats from the Xiongnu, the nomadic people of the north, Wu launched defense attacks that made ...
Throughout history, there have been many important revolutions that have helped shape society as it is today. There are different causes, from political to religious, economic to social. Any revolution affects those in society, and creates changes for the people in the society. There are three important revolutions that took place in the late 18th century that changed the world for the better. The French Revolution, the American Revolution, and the Industrial Revolution all took place in the late 1700s.
Gunpowder and the invention of the cannon meant the end of primeval warfare. These inventions marked the end of the use of knights and the siege. Once the cannon was invented in the early fourteenth century, by the German monk Berthold Schwarz , knights and city walls didn't stand a chance. If the enemy went into a siege, all the general had to do was bring in their cannons, and blast a hole in the wall allowing his men to get through. Then the victory went to the best trained army. The primative version, was rather large and heavy, but the tube projected rocks and other objects which could easily render a knight, or a city wall helpless, and at the mercy of the army. These developments truly marked the end of the primative warfare.
Gunpowder, the vaccine, blood transfusion, the telescope, surgery, the submarine, the barometer, the submarine, and the microscope are all great inventions that helped change the way people live today. They are some of many scientific inventions that changed the way of life for people.
Military architecture like castles and forts were built for mainly defence. They helped defend the region by having a place to watch over the land to see if any tribes or Vikings were invading. This protected the land and therefore the people were more prepared for
Ancient China is credited with many important inventions we still see today. One of these lesser known inventions was the invention Gunpowder and gunpowder weapons. Gunpowder aided in the advancements of weapon technology and Gave China the upper hand when in combat. Gunpowder changed the way combat was fought against the Mongols, and how religious ceremonies were carried out.
Throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, radical and controversial ideas were created in what would become a time period of great advances. The Scientific Revolution began with a spark of inspiration that spread a wild fire of ideas through Europe and America. The new radical ideas affected everything that had been established and proven through religious views. "The scientific revolution was more radical and innovative than any of the political revolutions of the seventeenth century."1 All of the advances that were made during this revolutionary time can be attributed to the founders of the Scientific Revolution.
The Ming Dynasty had created an empire. They had the government, the military, and the economic system to prove it. At different points in time, The Chinese Empire was the greatest in the world, for trade, military, and other key factors in a society.