Technology and Warfare

The advance of warfare is inextricably (oooh big word!) intertwined (another one) with the advance of technology. Warfare started out with hitting each other with fists, or sitck or something very simple. Long range combat was throwing rocks. Then technology advanced to the stone age, where stone tools were carved and used. This led to stone axes and slings for fighting. Bow and arrows were also invented after they learned to carve wood.
Soon people learned to refine bronze. This led to new weapons and armor. Swords were the biggest weapon advance. Warfare stepped into the new age as technology stepped onto the new age. Warfare became more effective as well. Stabbing someone with a sword is much more effective than beating them to death with a club. Killing became faster, which meant that armies became bigger. Bigger armies meant that society became more focused on warfare. The new focus on warfare pressured scientists and smithies to invent new weapons. Warfare advances technology as well as technology advancing warfare. When iron was discovered, weapons quickly switched over to it because it made better swords and armor.
The biggest advance in warfare was the discovery of gunpowder. The ancient Chinese used it to make rockets and flamethrowers. When it reached the West, the earliest guns were made. As warfare technology progressed over time, the distance from which people fought increased. As guns advanced into muskets, they gained range and accuracy. In the modern era, we have machine guns and snipers that are very accurate. People went from throwing rocks to sniping from a mile away. And the advance of warfare was because of technology.