Social Impacts

Blasting Into Gunpowder:

During the 15^th century bigger guns had started to become developed and were taking place of their prior siege engines, trebuchet. These siege engines were great before gunpowder was introduced. The Fall of Constantinople in the 1450s demonstrated the new era of siege weapons. Cannons were now being produced bigger for even greater distance and power.The result of the production of these bigger and badder cannons was to build thicker walls and have round towers. Castles were starting to be built with curving sides to help with the deflection of a cannon ball. Castles built prior to the exposure of gunpowder had to build an earthen bank behind a castle’s curtain wall to absorb

some of the shock of impact.                      

                                                              
                                                                http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trebuchet

                                  

Rising For the Greater Good:

      With the rapid evolution of castles resulted in the “castle period” from 1492 until the 16^th century. This castle to the right is the Fortaleza Ozama located in the Dominican Republic. It was the first castle to be built in the Americas.                                                                                                                                                                                           

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fortalesa_crop.jpg