Catapult Research Paper

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A Catapult is a device that is used to launch an object. These devices are very ancient and have been used in many areas, mostly in Europe during the middle ages. Catapults were highly used weapons. The first Catapult was meant to replace a crossbow, by increasing the range and power. Diodorus Siculus was a Greek historian, he was the first to actually document a catapult in action. Catapults were used to launch missiles at walls and also over walls to create extreme damage to the population. They would also launch diseased bodies over walls to infect the population as well. There are 3 different types of Catapults, Ballista, Mangonel, and Trebuchet. Ballista comes from "Ballistes" which is a Greek word meaning throw. The Ballista was the earliest catapult to be invented. It is very similar appearance to a crossbow but much larger. Ballista was made with two wood planks that is attached to a piece of rope. The rope was then attached to a winch. …show more content…

Mangonel comes from "Manganon" which is a Latin word for “engine of war.” The Mangonel was an invention from 400 BC by the Romans. The Mangonel is made with a long wooden plank used as an arm with a bucket, along with a rope attached to the end. They used this device by pulling back the wooden plank at a 90-degree angle. When released the plank would go back to its “equilibrium position,” when it hits with the beam the plank would stop but the object that was inside the bucket would remain in the air and hit the target. The Mangonel has accomplished to fire an object to the height of 1,300

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