Gunpowder and Artillery

Advancements

• Gunpowder was invented around 1040.  
• In china rockets, fireworks, and other weapons were being launched. 
• This led to William Congreve developing rockets to use in war. 
• Launching tubes were developed to improve accuracy. 

howitzer

• It was made in the seventeenth century by English and Dutch armies. 
• It was used to fire explosive shells in a high arc. 
• It was intended to hit a distance target. 
• It looked much like the picture on the background. 

harquebus

• It is also known as the hack but. 
• It was used between the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries. 
• The musket is a successor of the harquebus. 
• The matchlock is used to fire it , it "cocks" the weapon.
• It had a long barrel with the end flared to make it easier to load. 

English Longbow

• It could fire 12 arrows per minute. 
• This was much faster than a crossbow. 

Swiss Pike

• This was a long pole with a primary use against cavalry assaults
• It had the resemblance of a spear and were usually 10 to 14 feet long 
• Later, steel tips where added to increase effectiveness 
• The pike would be used in a large square formation
• This protected archers and harquebusiers from cavalry assaults

How the Artillery Affected us today

• The Howitzer- this led to may inventions like the tank. 
• The Harquebus- this led to inventions like the rifle.
• English Longbow- this  led to thins like crossbows.   
• The Swiss Pike- This led to more things like spears.