smoothbore+muskets

Watch this clip explaining the evolution of firearms in the 17th and 18th centuries.

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 * **Musket**
 * Soldier expected to get a shot off every 15-30 seconds
 * According to the Continental army training manual, there were 13 steps to firing a musket. In short, a soldier had to get a cartridge, tear it open with his teeth, put a little bit of powder in the firing mechanism, put the rest of the powder and a gun ball down the barrel, ram the ball and powder home, cock the musket and fire.
 * Not accurate at more than 50 yards.
 * Most common weapon during the revolutionary war.
 * Link to HOW TO FIRE A MUSKET []

Below is a picture of what the musket ball (bullet) used in a smoothbore musket would look like:

Rifles were also used in small amounts!

1. What object/material was used in the hammer of the gun to cause a spark igniting the gunpowder? 2. What caliber was the "Brown Bess"? 3. Would the Brown Bess be very useful as a hunting weapon? Why or why not? 4. How else could these guns be used as weapons, especially in "hand to hand" combat? 5. There were rifled guns used during the Revolution, so what's the difference between a rifle and a smoothbore? What advantages did a smoothbore have over a rifle? What advantages did a rifle have over a smoothbore?
 * After reading and watching all of the above, please answer the questions below.**

Click on the link below to read a short explanation about "riflemen" during the Revolution: [|Riflemen]