The longbow was a device used in warfare and survival to great extent. It was used in early ages, utilized for many things, employed in armies and wars, and had many effects on the world. This bow, known as "the first machine gun," changed the tide of many events in history. The longbow has always been a weapon of great mystery to many people today. The beginning of the longbow is a very interesting subject. First, the definition of a longbow. A longbow is a bow over four feet in height, though they were usually six to seven feet (1999, October). It was a powerful wooden bow with strong tension that was drawn by hand (Medieval Life and Times). This means that it needed tremendous strength to draw the bow. According to the article, Medieval …show more content…
This compressed when the bow was drawn, while the sapwood on the other side stretched. The combination provided immense power." Hemp, the strongest and least elastic fiber available, was usually used for the string, but linen was also used (Medieval Life and Times). The arrows used in longbows were a straight shaft crafted to be about three feet in length (2013, February 3). An experienced archer could shoot an arrow every five seconds with a maximum range of 400 meters, or about 437 yards (Trueman, C.N). Of course, that was measured after the beginning of longbows, which took place far before the medieval times. Scientists say that a type of longbow has been discovered to come from about 500 AD, possibly from either the Germans or the Scandinavians (1999, October). During these …show more content…
First, the positives. This bow was a weapon of choice for the English less than 700 years ago (2015, May 24) for it was effective in naval battles, such as that of the Battle of Sluys in 1340 (Trueman, C.N), and, because it was able to pierce their armor at 250 yards, effective against opponents wearing plate armor (Medieval Life and Times). This bow had, and still has, more power and a better rate of fire than the crossbow (2015, May 24) and was more easily crafted with just a single piece of wood (2013, February 3). The maximum range for this bow is about 437 yards, or 400 meters (Trueman, C.N), creating a large range for fighting. The longbow is classified as a ranged weapon (Medieval Life and Times), which was good because they could fight farther than anyone else, yet bad because they had little use in close-range, like many bows. The longbow was also weak because there were few people able to use it effectively. The bow needs plenty of strength to draw it with a draw weight of more than 150 pounds (2011, January 11). Its most effective ranges are 50 to 250 yards, which is a large downsize from their 437 yard maximum (2015, May 24). The longbow was difficult to master and the archers needed years of training and practice to be effective in a battle (2011, January 11). Regarded as a "specialty weapon," the longbow was clearly sought after (2013,
The rifle and the coveted shotgun, literally brought home the bacon. With sleek models such as the Winchester .44 in 1873, accurate targeting sights increased a hunter’s ability to take down his prey, even from large distances, often exceeding 200 yards. The other weapon of choice, the shotgun, did not boast a straight, clean shot, but had the capacity to tear anything to shreds in a single blast. A short barrel provided the advantage of a wider blast range and easier handling (Trachtman et al 50). In many battles, the shotguns were often preferred for their simplifying features.
In medieval Europe there were many different weapons and types of fighting. It depended on the time period they fought in. “A soldier's choice of armor depended on the time during which he lived, the type of fighting he did and his economic situation” (Blackwell 1). Some types of fighting were hand-to-hand, which were swords, axes, and many more. Another type would be projectiles, like crossbows, javelins. The last one would be firearms which guns and others. “Many medieval soldiers wore armor to protect themselves from the weapons of their enemies” (Blackwell 2). Siege weapons such as catapults helped armies break into castles and towns. Most soldiers carried some blades in addition to their swords. “A dagger had a hilt like sword and a double-edged blade that was typically between 6 and 12 inches long” (Blackwell 1). Medieval soldiers used many weapons for hand-to-hand combat. All knights carried a sword with them and were expected to be skilled at swordplay. If you could afford swords then there was always something cheaper like the Quarterstaffs, which are long...
arrow to hunt with as well. To cook the food that they had gathered the made the rope twister
I have been bow hunting since I was about 8 years old. I am going to go over the basic steps and necessary equipment needed to start becoming a successful bow hunter. Some of the key things you will need during this are a decent set of camouflage, a compound hunting bow and a place to hunt. Despite the time it takes to be successful; bow hunting can be very rewarding.
The Met museum said that the most popular used weapons were “spear, sword, axe, and the bow and arrow.” These weapons and tactics of fighting then became the backbone of weapons today, such as guns. Spears, bows and arrows allow knights to fight from a distance, such as hand grenades and guns used in today’s military.
In relation to war, the most preferred weapon was the javelin, which could be used for both close combat and long range. The javelin was a highly effective weapon and it ensured that those using it were not easy to defeat. Furthermore, the javelin was often used alongside a shield, which was essential for not only blocking attacks, but also kept the enemy at bay while the javelin was used to strike. 'The horse' was also used but because of having to use both a shield and
White-tailed deer, also known as the whitetail, is native to the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru and Bolivia. What are the things called antlers and what are they made of? Deer antlers are made of bone. They grow from pedicles, bony bumps found on the heads of all deer, and they drop off after the mating season ends.
The Web. The Web. 23 Nov. 2011. The "Middle Ages - Information, Facts, and Links." ENotes - Literature Study Guides, Lesson Plans.
Long distance weapons were essential to European combat. The main long distance weapons used by Europeans during that time were the longbow and the crossbow. Each form of weaponry had its unique advantages and their pejorative. The long bow (shown in figure 1) was the original form of distance weapons. The term ‘bow’ means to be made from wood, iron or steel. The Welsh, who inhabited England, were the first people to use longbows. Longbows were 6-7 feet long and had a range of 250 yards, and still had the ability to pierce a knight’s armor (Byam 12). A well trained archer could shot 10- 12 arrows in a single minute. Despite these pro’s the longbow had a lot of disadvantages as well. One draw back was only skilled archers, who were costly to train, could use a longbow. Another disadvantage was it didn’t have a ready loaded arrow (Edge 34). The crossbow (shown in figure 2) on the other had been emphatically different. The crossbow had a span of 2-3 feet and could kill a knight on horseback with one shot, because of good aim (Byam 30). Crossbows had ready loaded projectiles, while the longbow didn’t and the crossbow could be used by anyone since it didn’t require any skill. The crossbow did have a down side though, it had slow reloaded because of a crank and it was expensive. Crossbows were also used for other thi...
Prior to their debut, traditional warfare was fought on foot like that of the Romans. The Huns on the other hand fought on horseback which was revolutionary at that time gave them the upper hand in the majority of scenarios where they had increased manoeuvrability and lethality of blows against opposing forces. The bow was the weapon of choice for the Huns (Maenchen-Helfen 1973, p.221). They were unrivalled in terms of accuracy and speed. A century later, after the East Romans had adopted tactics and weapons from the barbarians like the Huns.
Complex technical studies in recent times have shown that one can split a wooden arrow with another, but that it will become stuck in the first shaft, seems nearly impossible. Nowadays, this would be an ‘honor’ more likely for archers who are using tubular shafts made of aluminum or carbon.
Print. "The Middle Ages: Feudal Life." Learner.org. Annenberg Foundation, 2012. Web.
part of the 16th century and continued to be used well into the 18th century.
During the Mesolithic period (20,000BC-7, 500BC) and Neolithic (7,500BC-3, 500BC) period illustrations of bows from that time appear on cave walls and rock faces. Several different kinds of bows were drawn, there were many long and short simple segment bows with more of a circular shape, but there were also more complex bow shapes, which suggests that they were composite bows. Composite bows were found in north Eastern Europe and Asia. The composite bow was a result of great need because wood wasn’t available in the regions where it was found. It was mostly used in North America, parts of South America and what is now Russia and ...
The medieval period references to the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century A.D. to the beginning of the Renaissance in approximately the 15th century A.D. During this time period the Church ruled the people, there were only the rich versus the poor, and the every day life of common folk was consumed with the thought