how did swords change the world?
409519
Who says they did? Before metal was introduced, people were happily killing each other with wooden methods and rocks. Metal just made the killing easier and faster.
111692
A sheath is the thin, pouchlike thing a sword is carried in when not in use. To sheath a sword means to slide it into the sheath. To unsheath it is to remove it from the sheath.
684887
Because the new weapons of battle made it necessary to alter battle tactics that had universally been based on napoleans battles. these tactics had been effective until the Civil War. They were initially used by the North & South, which is why so many men died. Old tactics vs. Modern weapons was a lose-lose situation & new tactics had to be developed. Since this war was the 1st to use new weapons & new tactics, it by definition became the Modern War
373022
germs. \n\nI saw an interesting program on Discovery about how the bubonic plague so reduced the population of Europe that poor peasants were able to acquire lots of land and wealth, thus leading to the Renaissance and the Industrial Revolution. \n\nThen the germs won again by killing off the competition when Europeans came to the Americas and elsewhere. Accidental biological warfare was a tremendous advantage.\n\nThen there's the idea that Europeans were so used to killing each other that they'd already developed quite a bit of technology to use when they realized there were other people to kill, exploit, and displace.
793937
Your question really has no answer, if it did, everyone would be implementing those ideas all around the world.  You can't change others or countries, only yourself.  Study hard, work hard, take risks and keep an open mind to new views and ways of doing things...that's all anyone can do.
96335
You best bet is to pick up some spare sheet metal and check to see if anyone you know owns a beverly cutter. (a tool used for cutting thick metal.) You could then cut it to shape. Bear in mind that any homemade sword is not going to be safe for livesteel fighting.
191189
Actually avaition, In the form of hot-air baloons was happening in Europe in the 18th C. Let's say, after the dawn of the 20th, ( with the internal combustion engine ), that it diminished the globe, shortened travel times and distances, \nrevolutionized warfare and set our imaginations towards space travel, ( one could argue that Jules Verne was earlier ), but avaition became a major aspect of world technological culture and was synonymous with progress, adventure, courage and indivuduality, and led to the development of nations having more information and knowledge about the world's uninhabited places.  It opened a new frontier in man's way of thinking about himself and the world, as well as new horrors and dangers.
51554
Here's some good info to have.\nThere's a lot more info on the net than just the links I put, all you have to do is just type in Japanese swords or Samurai swords or anything like that in yahoo search or google or whatever search engine you use.
231929
I'm not writing your report for you, you lazy bum. But I will give you a general idea of how blacksmiths do what they do. Blacksmithing is a trade craft, which meant that in the 1600s and stuff they had guilds for it, kind of like a group that affirmed that you were an expert at your craft.\n\nTo make horseshoes and swords, they first need to get some metal. Ore has to be refined (although they already have refined metal usually) to make sure it's pure. Then they heat furnaces to superhot temperatures and place the pure metal inside the furnaces. Bellows (air pumps) are used to make sure the metal doesn't get all screwed. Then when the metal is soft and malleable, the blacksmith will take it out (using tongs, of course) and pound it with his hammer into whatever shape he wants...nails, swords, horseshoes, etc. etc. Then he throws it in a vat of water. This instantly hardens the molten metal and makes it solid.\n\nIn older eras, like in the medieval days and the Bronze, Dark, and Copper Ages, blacksmiths had to refine their own metal. This often meant that metals were weaker, because it's very difficult to refine metal. New metals were invented like iron and steel from other metals.\n\nGood luck, hope I helped.
253976
It dates back as far as the bronze age and was originally used for hunting and skinning.  It became part of everyday dress, because it dates from a time when people had minimal posessions and therefore kept the most precious ones on them at all times.  Worked metal - such as a dirk - in the bronze age would qualify as such.  Additionally, in a time when people were primarily occupied with finding sustenance it would make sense to keep a hunting knife on your person at all times so you'd be ready whenever you'd happen to come across prey.  \n\nThe modern dirk, which is of a more military purpose, was developed in the early medieval period.  It was designed to be able to punch through metal plate armour and stab someone in their vital abdominal organs, and for this reason is also sometimes called a punching dagger or a kidney dagger.\n\nEven after its primary purpose shifted, the dirk frequently did double-duty as both a hunting and martial tool as the common person likely couldn't afford a variety of special knives.  Even if they could, it would be terribly inconvenient to carry more than you absolutely had to when living on a battlefield.
704400
I studied sword for 8 years and I can say it is simply for the fun of it. \n\nIt doesn't have much practical application, but ironically it did teach me the most important martial arts lesson there is to learn.\n\nA weapon changes everything. The most positive aspect with realistic sword training is that you learn how final and fatal and see and experience it.  Yes everyone knows a knife or gun or bat is deadly, but a lot of people don't REALLY have it register how quick it ends. Many schools teach that it is easy to defend against weapons, when that is not the case.  It really drives home the notion that all you really need is one hit, regardless of whether it is a "good" hit or not, you usually are able to disable the person with that strike then follow it up. Whether it is knife, staff, escrima stick or sword. \n\nThere might be limited practical application in that the same techniques can be used if you pick up a broom or bat, etc. but most people study sword for the fun of it. I mean real sword as opposed to SCA dungeons and dragons style LARPing. or just studying forms (iaido).\n\nThere also are sport applications to some of the systems like sport fencing and kendo, however I personally do not consider this real sword study as it is not training you in traditional techniques.
817599
I actually have not, but I am rated for double-rapier, which means I can fence (not sport fencing) with two swords. My actual weapon is sabre, and sport fencing will always be my passion, but it's fun to show off at the Renaissance fairs and such with the double-rapier fighting.
1029224
Good question.  I think the short answer is education.\nEven years ago, europe had more schools for its people.\n\nThat education enabled the people to discover more inventions\nand technology which over years compounded on itself\nto create even more improvements to their quality of life.\n\nIt also helped that the north American continent had gold\nand oil.
722856
Try this site.  It has an audio guide to words.\n\nhttp://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=sword
483633
Combat evolved along w/the weapons used at the time. ie/jousting was first used to settle arguments. time went on and it became a spectator sport. as far as weapons are conserned: armor piercing arrows did away w/heavy armor tictical assults made the knight too slow and out dated. then gun powder was westernized and pistol deuling took its place.
383033
Try reading 5 equations that changed the world".\nLots of equations matter, depends upon what you are interested in at the time.
286688
A number of new weapons were introduced during the Hundred Years' War. Of these, the most famous was the Welsh (or English) longbow; while not a new weapon at the time, it was used in new ways. Gunpowder, firearms and cannons played significant roles as early as 1375. The last battle of the war, the Battle of Castillon, was the first battle in European history where artillery was the deciding factor. The early phase of the war triggered the development and rising popularity of the longsword.\n\n\nThe consequences of these new weapons meant that the nobility was no longer the deciding factor in battle; peasants armed with longbows or firearms could gain access to the power, rewards and prestige once reserved only for knights who bore arms. The composition of armies changed, from feudal lords who may or may not show up when called by their lord, to paid mercenaries. By the end of the war, both France and England were able to raise enough money through taxation to create standing armies, the first time since the fall of the Roman Empire that there were standing armies in Europe. Standing armies represented an entirely new form of power for kings. Not only could they defend their kingdoms from invaders, but standing armies could also protect the king from internal threats and also keep the population in check. It was a major step in early developments towards new monarchies and nations and entirely broke down the Medieval 3 orders.