Chinese Alchemy
Gunpowder was discovered in 10th century China by alchemists searching for an elixir of immortality. This was the debut of artificial fire on Earth comprised of sulfur, realgar, saltpeter, and honey. All that was needed was heat causing the mysterious mixture to erupt in flame. It was believed that little explosions caused by bamboo and the air inside it scared away evil spirits just as explosions scared away regular people. Alchemists saw the value of this in spectacles and thus the field of pyrotechnics was created. Eventually gunpowder was used in weaponry and the government banned export and trade of gunpowder making it a state monopoly. By the start of the thirteenth century Chinese technicians developed the first gun. Guns as we now know them came in small steps and it took almost a whole century for the Chinese to create hand cannons.
European Use
The exact way gunpowder reached Europe is unknown. It became increasingly popular in some parts of Europe, but was mainly used for defensive purposes. Yet, many early guns were horribly inaccurate and took a long time to reload, so the effectiveness of a gun relied on it's ability to inflict terror.They could be used defensively and eventually most great castles had cannons on their walls. Gunpowder was also associated with the devil, and in Medieval Europe Christianity was incredibly important. This caused fear in the hearts of many as this weapon was believed to harness some demonic power. In this way guns were more useful psychologically than for actually inflicting violence. Sulfur and charcoal proved common in Europe, but saltpeter was scarce, which halted the use of gunpowder. Eventually, a way was devised to artificially produce it. Gun crafting technology soon advanced and larger and more powerful machines like bombards were created. Guns were now effective physically as well as psychologically.
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Control and Culture
The portability and effectiveness of advanced guns raised concerns after multiple accidents and crimes were committed, and this issue still continues to this day. Many places banned advanced handguns as fear that they could be used for robbery or assassination increased. The trend of violence at a distance increased as melee and unarmed combat was becoming less and less frequent. The rising cost of this new kind of warfare lessened the military power of smaller independent lands who could not hope to compete with the wealth of larger nations, such as England or France. The power of these new weapons increased death tolls on the battlefield and injuries became even more severe. These new types of wounds confounded surgeons and physicians as they did not have the knowledge at the time to treat these. Gunpowder still had affiliations with the devil, but that stopped no one from using it for warfare. Many scholars and priests detested the use of gunpowder as they viewed it as morally and spiritually unethical. Gunpowder was also incredibly effective for assassination and was used in many schemes, such as The Powder Treason. Yet, gunpowder soon found another popular use in Europe. Pyrotechnic displays quickly spread and this technology was implemented in other forms of entertainment such as plays. Pyrotechnics would become a main source of attraction in celebrations and holidays.
Power and Expansion
During the Age of Exploration, Europeans used guns and cannons to expand their vast trade networks and powerful empires. Gunpowder would be taken all across the globe as Europeans used this powerful advantage to conquer and enslave many in places like The Americas and Africa. Guns would allow them to easily defeat the native peoples as they had never been exposed to these weapons or the style of warfare associated with it. Many atrocities were committed due to the ambition of European conquerors and the power gunpowder gave them. This new era would have explorers sailing all across the world, and cannons would be placed on ships, completely changing naval warfare.Yet , other uses of gunpowder emerged such as it's use in canal building and mining because of it's ability to alter the land. However, this also proved to be dangerous as many miners died due to accidents with the gunpowder in enclosed spaces.
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Advancements and Effect
Eventually, gunpowder would come to be replaced with smokeless powder. This new propellant is made from a different chemical composition than the original black powder invented by the Chinese and is typically referred to as smokeless powder. Smokeless powder produces more velocity and less smoke, while also being much cleaner and far less volatile. Yet, smokeless powder burns at much higher pressures requiring a major redesign in gun technology. Smokeless powder is still used today and represents the current peak of gunpowder technology. Gunpowder is one of the most influential inventions ever developed, as it has been directly affecting the course of history, culture, and warfare.