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The Gunpowder Age: China, Military Innovation, and the Rise of the West in World History,Used
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A first look at gunpowder's revolutionary impact on China's role in global historyThe Chinese invented gunpowder and began exploring its military uses as early as the 900s, four centuries before the technology passed to the West. But by the early 1800s, China had fallen so far behind the West in gunpowder warfare that it was easily defeated by Britain in the Opium War of 183942. What happened? In The Gunpowder Age, Tonio Andrade offers a compelling new answer, opening a fresh perspective on a key question of world history: why did the countries of western Europe surge to global importance starting in the 1500s while China slipped behind?Historians have long argued that gunpowder weapons helped Europeans establish global hegemony. Yet the inhabitants of what is today China not only invented guns and bombs but also, as Andrade shows, continued to innovate in gunpowder technology through the early 1700smuch longer than previously thought. Why, then, did China become so vulnerable? Andrade argues that one significant reason is that it was out of practice fighting wars, having enjoyed nearly a century of relative peace, since 1760. Indeed, he demonstrates that Chinalike Europewas a powerful military innovator, particularly during times of great warfare, such as the violent century starting after the Opium War, when the Chinese once again quickly modernized their forces. Today, China is simply returning to its old position as one of the world's great military powers.By showing that Chinas military dynamism was deeper, longer lasting, and more quickly recovered than previously understood, The Gunpowder Age challenges longstanding explanations of the socalled Great Divergence between the West and Asia.
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- Q: What is the main focus of 'The Gunpowder Age'? A: 'The Gunpowder Age' explores the revolutionary impact of gunpowder on China's role in global history, particularly how it influenced military innovation and China's decline relative to the West.
- Q: Who is the author of 'The Gunpowder Age'? A: The book is authored by Tonio Andrade.
- Q: When was 'The Gunpowder Age' published? A: 'The Gunpowder Age' was published on January 12, 2016.
- Q: How many pages does 'The Gunpowder Age' have? A: The book contains 448 pages.
- Q: What is the binding type of 'The Gunpowder Age'? A: 'The Gunpowder Age' is available in hardcover binding.
- Q: Is 'The Gunpowder Age' a new or used book? A: 'The Gunpowder Age' is in new condition.
- Q: What historical period does 'The Gunpowder Age' cover? A: The book covers the historical period from the 900s, when gunpowder was first used in China, to the early 1800s, focusing on the Opium War and its aftermath.
- Q: What key question does 'The Gunpowder Age' address? A: 'The Gunpowder Age' addresses why Western countries surged to global importance starting in the 1500s while China fell behind.
- Q: Does 'The Gunpowder Age' examine China's military innovations? A: Yes, the book discusses China's military innovations and how they continued well into the early 1700s.
- Q: What is the central argument of 'The Gunpowder Age'? A: The central argument is that China's vulnerability in military conflicts was due to a long period of peace, which led to a decline in military practice despite its earlier innovations in gunpowder technology.