Technology or another type of source
Answer:
At the end of the musket most soldiers had a bayonet attached. A bayonet was a sharp pointed metal blade around 17 inches long. The bayonet turned the musket into a spear that could be used to charge and gore an enemy. British soldiers were especially skilled fighters with the bayonet.
Cannon
Both sides used a variety of artillery (large guns) during the war. Cannons could be made somewhat mobile when they were mounted on large wheels. They fired solid shells, exploding shells, and grapeshot. Cannons were effective in destroying fortifications or sinking ships. Sometimes cannons were fired strait at a line of approaching enemy troops tearing right through them and stopping their charge.
The smooth-bore muskets of the Revolutionary War were not very accurate and could not reliably hit a target beyond 100 yards. It took the average soldier around 15 to 20 seconds to load the musket allowing him to fire 3 to 4 shots a minute.
Brown Bess and Bayonet
Source: American Military History:
Volume 1
The weapons and battle tactics used by both sides during the Revolutionary War were consistent with those used by European armies for the previous 15 or so years. Both sides used similar weapons and fought using similar tactics.
Muskets
The primary weapon used by both sides was the musket. The most popular type of musket was the British made Brown Bess. The Brown Bess had a smooth bore and was loaded through the muzzle. Another popular musket was the Charleville made by the French. It was similar to the Brown Bess.
Rifles were also used during the Revolutionary War. Rifles were more accurate than muskets, but took a lot longer time to load. Cavalry (soldiers on horseback) used pistols and sabers to fight with as they were easier to use while riding a horse. Soldiers often carried knives or small hatchets, but these were rarely used in major battles.
Tactics
Explanation:
The concept of "total war" refers to a type of armed conflict that is bound by no rules or limitations in terms of who is being attacked, the weapons that are used or the elements of society that will be sacrificed to win it.
Engaging in this type of war can have some benefits, such as:
- There is no need for the government to define its objectives clearly.
- Because of it, there is no accountability between the government and its citizens, which gives them free reign of action.
- Countries with a strong military can use their full power.
However, the costs far outweigh the benefits:
- Increased cost of human lives, from all parties involved.
- The destruction of all civil society.
- Because civil society is so disrupted, government institutions are likely to collapse as well.
- Extremely difficult recovery process, both politically as economically.
- Complete depletion of the country's resources.
- Violation of human rights and the laws of just war.
- Closes the door to any peaceful solution.
There is rarely, if ever, a situation in which a total war provides benefits that would outweigh the costs of it, or that would not be achieved through some other means.
The correct answer is they blazed trails through the Rocky Mountains and other difficult terrain.
Mountain men were people who lived in the wild of Rocky Mountains from 1810 to 1880. These men played an important role in <em>creating roads</em> so people from the East could travel to the West, helping the fur companies improve their trade. Many mountain men worked as a <em>“free trappers”</em>(by their own), but a lot of them were hired by fur companies.
