Weapons and Warfare

Research Paper # 116626

History > European - 17th Century
History > European - 18th Century

Weapons and Warfare

An in-depth look at the development of weapons and warfare tactics during the 17th and 18th centuries.

3,078 words () | 11 sources | MLA | 2009 United States

Paper Summary:

The paper examines the weapons and warfare tactics that were invented between the 17th and 18th centuries primarily in Europe which has a history of violence, bloodshed and military conquest. The paper focuses on the development of the wheel-lock and the flintlock and how they offered Europeans ever-increasing killing power.

From the Paper:

"The art of making war had been one of humankind's primary activities for thousands of years. As Bernard Brodie points out, the art of warfare and combat probably first occurred during the Paleolithic Age circa 10,000 BCE when "crude stone weapons were used in battle against other groups over food, women or land" and according to some recent archeological evidence unearthed in the Middle East, Neolithic people appear to have waged war against each other going as far back as 7,000 BC. Exactly why warfare between groups of people in ancient times was found to be necessary is unknown, but many historians agree that the development of weapons and warfare tactics had much to do with the population of any given geographical area, whether in Europe, Asia or North America. "

Sample of Sources Used:

Brodie, Bernard. From Crossbows to the H-Bomb: The Evolution of the Weapons and Tactics of Warfare. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1973.
Davidson, Martin. Decisive Weapons: The Technology that Transformed Warfare. UK: BBC Books, 1996.
Dupuy, Trevor N. The Evolution of Weapons and Warfare. Indianapolis, IN: Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1981.
Gilbert, Adrian. Weapons and Warfare. Berlin: Franklin Watts Books, 2004.
Meusz, Michael. "The Zaporozhian Cossack Battle at Korsun." MilitaryHistoryOnline.com. Internet. 2007. Retrieved from http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/horsemusket/korsun/default.aspx.