War and Technology

War

Water guns used to look like this:
old water gun
old water gun fight Because all the water pressure came directly from your trigger finger, you had to be practically on top of the other person.
But in 1982 the Super Soaker was invented. It has a pump that you operate with repeated back-and-forth motions, accumulating a much greater water pressure.
 Super Soaker
Super Soaker fight This invention totally changed the character of water fights. Now you can hide behind things across the yard from your target, and everyone ends up utterly drenched.

Technology affects real wars, too. When the two sides have similar weapon technology, the outcome of battles may be decided by numbers of soldiers, the strategies of generals, and other human factors. But if one side has better technology, they win. For example, that's how a handful of European explorers were able to defeat the vastly more numerous Native American population: The Europeans had guns.

  1. See how many important military technologies you can list in two minutes. (Don't neglect defensive technologies such as thick castle walls.)
  2. With a partner, pick one of these examples to research online, then share your results with the class.
    • Why were metal-clad ships important in the (U.S.) Civil War?
    • Why did armies generally have bright-colored uniforms through the 19th Century but dull-colored uniforms after that?
    • How did airplanes change the rules of war for civilians?