Question

gunpowder and the ottomans
invented by the chinese and first used in fireworks, gunpowder changed the course of history. societies that had access to gunpowder - especially reliable, easy - to - use gunpowder - had an enormous advantage over their competitors and enemies. in this excerpt, you will read about how the ottoman empire was well positioned to take advantage of the shift to gunpowder - based combat.
secondary source academic text
“up till the 1420s. it had been the practice to carry the constituent ingredients - sulfur, saltpeter, and charcoal - in different barrels and to mix them on site. the resulting powder was slow burning, susceptible to damp, and had a tendency to separate out. in the early fifteenth century, experimentation revealed that mixing the ingredients into a paste and drying it... produced better results. the so - called corned powder was faster burning, 30 percent more powerful, and more resistant to atmospheric moisture....
the ottomans were uniquely placed to take advantage of these developments.... the ottomans sourced men and materials from across the empire - cannonballs from the black sea, saltpeter from belgrade, sulfur from van, copper from kastamonu, tin from overseas trade, scrap bronze from the church bells of the balkans - and distributed them through an overland transport network by cart and camel that was unmatched in its efficiency.”

• roger crowley, 1453: the holy war for constantinople and the clash of islam and the west, 2005

saltpeter a crystalline salt; potassium nitrate
examine the source

1. evaluating why was corned powder better than the older form of gunpowder?
2. making connections how did the size of the ottoman empire affect its ability to take advantage of gunpowder technology?

Explanation:

1. Corned powder was faster - burning, 30 percent more powerful, and more resistant to atmospheric moisture compared to the older form of gunpowder which was slow - burning, susceptible to damp, and had a tendency to separate out.
2. The large size of the Ottoman Empire allowed it to source materials from across the empire (such as saltpeter from Belgrade, sulfur from Van, etc.). Its extensive overland transport network by cart and camel was efficient in distributing these materials, enabling it to take better advantage of gunpowder technology.

Answer:

1. Corned powder was faster - burning, more powerful, and more resistant to moisture.
2. The large size enabled sourcing of materials and efficient distribution via its transport network.