Download or read book The Chinese Invent Gunpowder written by John Murphy and published by 'The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc'. This book was released on 2021-07-15 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Few inventions have changed the world as much as gunpowder has. But did you know that its creation may date back nearly 2,000 years? It’s one of the so-called Four Great Inventions of China, and it likely all started with an accident. In this in-depth book, readers will learn more about the long and intricate background of gunpowder, from its unlikely beginnings to its use in old Chinese weapons and fireworks and its spread throughout the world. Photos give more background to the text, while extra features such as sidebars encourage further curiosity.
Download or read book The Gunpowder Age written by Tonio Andrade and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2017-08-29 with total page 444 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A first look at gunpowder's revolutionary impact on China's role in global history The Chinese invented gunpowder and began exploring its military uses as early as the 900s, four centuries before the technology passed to the West. But by the early 1800s, China had fallen so far behind the West in gunpowder warfare that it was easily defeated by Britain in the Opium War of 1839–42. What happened? In The Gunpowder Age, Tonio Andrade offers a compelling new answer, opening a fresh perspective on a key question of world history: why did the countries of western Europe surge to global importance starting in the 1500s while China slipped behind? Historians have long argued that gunpowder weapons helped Europeans establish global hegemony. Yet the inhabitants of what is today China not only invented guns and bombs but also, as Andrade shows, continued to innovate in gunpowder technology through the early 1700s—much longer than previously thought. Why, then, did China become so vulnerable? Andrade argues that one significant reason is that it was out of practice fighting wars, having enjoyed nearly a century of relative peace, since 1760. Indeed, he demonstrates that China—like Europe—was a powerful military innovator, particularly during times of great warfare, such as the violent century starting after the Opium War, when the Chinese once again quickly modernized their forces. Today, China is simply returning to its old position as one of the world's great military powers. By showing that China’s military dynamism was deeper, longer lasting, and more quickly recovered than previously understood, The Gunpowder Age challenges long-standing explanations of the so-called Great Divergence between the West and Asia.
Download or read book Ancient Chinese Inventions written by Yinke Deng and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2011-03-03 with total page 163 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ancient Chinese Inventions provides an illustrated introduction to the numerous scientific and technological inventions to which China can lay claim.
Download or read book Gunpowder written by Jack Kelly and published by Atlantic Books (UK). This book was released on 2004 with total page 270 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Gunpowder first emerged from the ancient Chinese alchemical experiments to usurp the sword, spear and arrow in war. A must-read for history fans and military buffs alike, "Gunpowder" brings together a rich terrain of cultures and technological innovations with authoritative research and swashbuckling style.
Download or read book The Asian Military Revolution From Gunpowder to the Bomb written by Peter Allan Lorge and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 188 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Firearms written by Kenneth Warren Chase and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2003-07-07 with total page 324 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a history of firearms across the world from the 1100s up to the 1700s, from the time of their invention in China to the time when European firearms had become clearly superior. It asks why it was the Europeans who perfected firearms when it was the Chinese who had invented them, but it answers this question by looking at how firearms were used throughout the world.
Download or read book Before European Hegemony written by Janet L. Abu-Lughod and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 1991-02-21 with total page 462 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this important study, Abu-Lughod presents a groundbreaking reinterpretation of global economic evolution, arguing that the modern world economy had its roots not in the sixteenth century, as is widely supposed, but in the thirteenth century economy--a system far different from the European world system which emerged from it. Using the city as the working unit of analysis, Before European Hegemony provides a new paradigm for understanding the evolution of world systems by tracing the rise of a system that, at its peak in the opening decades of the 14th century, involved a vast region stretching between northwest Europe and China. Writing in a clear and lively style, Abu-Lughod explores the reasons for the eventual decay of this system and the rise of European hegemony.
Download or read book The History and Chronology of Gunpowder and Gunpowder Weapons c 1000 to 1850 written by Henry Pratap Phillips and published by Notion Press. This book was released on 2016-04-08 with total page 391 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Gunpowder has been considered as one of the most important discoveries made by man after the wheel. Interestingly, the origin of gunpowder is still shrouded in uncertainty. Nobody can definitely say who actually invented gunpowder and when. Common belief has it that gunpowder was invented in China and then came to India via the Silk Route. Studies done by the author show that gunpowder was actually invented in India went to China via the trade routes, from where it was showcased to World. With gunpowder, came the development of weapons, which changed the course of wars and changed the very course of history. An analysis of various weapons, their development and chronology has been systematically discussed. It covers the time period from 1000 AD to 1850 AD. The end period, 1850 AD, has been chosen as the cutoff date since percussion weapons came into vogue after that period and are well-documented in history. The start date, 1000 AD, is chosen on purpose to give a small margin to encompass any aberrations in discovery of gunpowder. The author sincerely hoped that this work would form a platform from which other studies/ research could be conducted by future arms historians.
Download or read book Ancient Chinese Warfare written by Ralph D. Sawyer and published by Basic Books (AZ). This book was released on 2011-03-01 with total page 578 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A leading historical scholar offers the definitive account of the strategies and technology that shaped the earliest Chinese dynasties--from walled defenses to chariot-driven warriors.
Download or read book Islamic Gunpowder Empires written by Douglas E. Streusand and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-05-04 with total page 581 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Islamic Gunpowder Empires provides readers with a history of Islamic civilization in the early modern world through a comparative examination of Islam's three greatest empires: the Ottomans (centered in what is now Turkey), the Safavids (in modern Iran), and the Mughals (ruling the Indian subcontinent). Author Douglas Streusand explains the origins of the three empires; compares the ideological, institutional, military, and economic contributors to their success; and analyzes the causes of their rise, expansion, and ultimate transformation and decline. Streusand depicts the three empires as a part of an integrated international system extending from the Atlantic to the Straits of Malacca, emphasizing both the connections and the conflicts within that system. He presents the empires as complex polities in which Islam is one political and cultural component among many. The treatment of the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal empires incorporates contemporary scholarship, dispels common misconceptions, and provides an excellent platform for further study.
Download or read book Science in Traditional China written by Joseph Needham and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 1981 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The world's preeminent authority on Chinese science explores the philosophy, social structure, arts, crafts, and even military strategies that form our understanding of Chinese science, making instructive comparisons along the way to similar elements of Indian, Hellenistic, and Arabic cultures. A major portion of the book concentrates on Taoist alchemy that led not only to the invention of gunpowder and firearms, but also, through the search for macrobiotic life-elixirs, to the rise of modern medical chemistry.
Download or read book Chasing the Chinese Dream written by William N. Brown and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-06-01 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This open access book explores the historical, cultural and philosophical contexts that have made anti-poverty the core of Chinese society since Liberation in 1949, and why poverty alleviation measures evolved from the simplistic aid of the 1950s to Xi Jinping’s precision poverty alleviation and its goal of eliminating absolute poverty by 2020. The book also addresses the implications of China’s experience for other developing nations tackling not only poverty but such issues as pandemics, rampant urbanization and desertification exacerbated by global warming. The first of three parts draws upon interviews of rural and urban Chinese from diverse backgrounds and local and national leaders. These interviews, conducted in even the remotest areas of the country, offer candid insights into the challenges that have forced China to continually evolve its programs to resolve even the most intractable cases of poverty. The second part explores the historic, cultural and philosophical roots of old China’s meritocratic government and how its ancient Chinese ethics have led to modern Chinese socialism’s stance that “poverty amidst plenty is immoral”. Dr. Huang Chengwei, one of China’s foremost anti-poverty experts, explains the challenges faced at each stage as China’s anti-poverty measures evolved over 70 years to emphasize “enablement” over “aid” and to foster bottom-up initiative and entrepreneurialism, culminating in Xi Jinping’s precision poverty alleviation. The book also addresses why national economic development alone cannot reduce poverty; poverty alleviation programs must be people-centered, with measurable and accountable practices that reach even to household level, which China has done with its “First Secretary” program. The third part explores the potential for adopting China’s practices in other nations, including the potential for replicating China’s successes in developing countries through such measures as the Belt and Road Initiative. This book also addresses prevalent misperceptions about China’s growing global presence and why other developing nations must address historic, systemic causes of poverty and inequity before they can undertake sustainable poverty alleviation measures of their own.
Download or read book A History of Greek Fire and Gunpowder written by James Riddick Partington and published by JHU Press. This book was released on 1999 with total page 432 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For nearly 600 years, from battles of the early 14th century to the dropping of the atomic bomb at Hiroshima, firearms derived from gunpowder and other chemicals defined the frightful extent of war. In this classic work, first published in 1960, distinguished historian James Riddick Partington provides a worldwide survey of the evolution of incendiary devices, Greek fire, and gunpowder. 21 illustrations.
Download or read book The Chinese Invent Gunpowder written by John Murphy and published by 'The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc'. This book was released on 2021-07-15 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Few inventions have changed the world as much as gunpowder has. But did you know that its creation may date back nearly 2,000 years? It’s one of the so-called Four Great Inventions of China, and it likely all started with an accident. In this in-depth book, readers will learn more about the long and intricate background of gunpowder, from its unlikely beginnings to its use in old Chinese weapons and fireworks and its spread throughout the world. Photos give more background to the text, while extra features such as sidebars encourage further curiosity.
Download or read book Gunpowder written by Clive Ponting and published by Random House. This book was released on 2011-11-30 with total page 187 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For many, gunpowder is associated with Guy Fawkes and the attempt to blow up parliament on 5 November 1605. Fewer people know that the formula for gunpowder was in fact discovered more than 1,000 years ago - in China - and by accident - and was initially a medicine. This fascinating book tells the story of the huge impact of gunpowder on every state and empire in the world. For 400 years the Chinese kept it to themselves, until a Mongol soldier leaked the secret to the Islamic world, where gunpowder played a crucial role in the rise of the great empires of the Ottomans and the Mughals: the spectacular capture of Constantinople in 1453 was accomplished through new siege tactics, while India was conquered with muskets and artillery mounted on 700 carts held together with ox harnesses. Even more important was the impact of gunpowder on Europe, where new weapons created new states and helped Europeans go on to dominate the rest of the world. Packed with unexpected and interesting facts, Gunpowder is an exciting, devastating and important story.
Download or read book GREAT ANCIENT CHINA PROJECTS written by Lance Kramer and published by Nomad Press. This book was released on 2008-06-01 with total page 299 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Great Ancient China Projects You Can Build Yourself explores the incredible ingenuity and history of ancient China with 25 hands-on projects for readers ages 9 and up. Great Ancient China Projects covers topics from porcelain pottery, paper, gunpowder, and dynasties, to martial arts, medicinal healers, jade carvers, and terracotta warriors. With step-by-step activities, kids will learn how to construct a house with proper feng shui and create a simple Chinese hanging compass. Historical facts and anecdotes, biographies, and fascinating trivia support the fun projects and teach kids about this innovative society and its continued influence on modern culture.
Download or read book The Silk Road A Very Short Introduction written by James A. Millward and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2013-04-10 with total page 169 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The phrase "silk road" evokes vivid scenes of merchants leading camel caravans across vast stretches to trade exotic goods in glittering Oriental bazaars, of pilgrims braving bandits and frozen mountain passes to spread their faith across Asia. Looking at the reality behind these images, this Very Short Introduction illuminates the historical background against which the silk road flourished, shedding light on the importance of old-world cultural exchange to Eurasian and world history. On the one hand, historian James A. Millward treats the silk road broadly, to stand in for the cross-cultural communication between peoples across the Eurasian continent since at least the Neolithic era. On the other, he highlights specific examples of goods and ideas exchanged between the Mediterranean, Persia, India, and China, along with the significance of these exchanges. While including silks, spices, and travelers' tales of colorful locales, the book explains the dynamics of Central Eurasian history that promoted Silk Road interactions--especially the role of nomad empires--highlighting the importance of the biological, technological, artistic, intellectual, and religious interchanges across the continent. Millward shows that these exchanges had a profound effect on the old world that was akin to, if not on the scale of, modern globalization. He also disputes the idea that the silk road declined after the collapse of the Mongol empire or the opening of direct sea routes from Europe to Asia, showing how silk road phenomena continued through the early modern and modern expansion of the Russian and Chinese states across Central Asia. Millward concludes that the idea of the silk road has remained powerful, not only as a popular name for boutiques and restaurants, but also in modern politics and diplomacy, such as U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton's "Silk Road Initiative" for India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
