I am 1776 sure no one will be taking my guns Shirt

The American Revolution was fought—and won—with guns, and the weapons have become ingrained in U.S. culture, but the invention of firearms started long before colonists ever settled on North American soil. The origin of firearms began with gunpowder and its invention, mostly likely in China, more than 1,000 years ago.Gunpowder InventeHistorians estimate that as early as 850 A.D., alchemists in China stumbled upon the explosive properties of gunpowder (a combination of potassium nitrate, sulfur and charcoal) while seeking an elixir of lA Chinese Buddhist alchemist wrote the earliest known account of the substance, saying, “Some have heated together the saltpeter, sulfur, and carbon of charcoal with honey; smoke and flames result, so that their hands and faces have been burnt, and even the whole house burnt down.”Initially black powder, as it was known, was used for fireworks, but the substance soon found its way into weaponry. Cannons and grenades were among the earliest weapons to incorporate gunpowder, followed by primitive handheld firearms, which consisted of a hollow bamboo tubes, packed with gunpowder and small projectiles. The devices had limited range and were likely used only in hand-to-hand combatEuropean FirearmThanks in part to the Silk Road and adventurous traders like Marco Polo, by the 13th century ancestors of the modern firearm had spread from Asia to Europe, where they were further developed as weapons in the form of matchlock, wheel lock and flintlock firearms.

I am 1776 sure no one will be taking my guns Shirt

By the time early colonists arrived in America in the 15th century, firearm design had advanced significantly and the weapons were routinely included in journeys to the New World.Among the firearms commonly associated with the early colonists was the German-made blunderbuss, an early version of the shotgun that featured a flared muzzle and a broad opening at the top, which made for faster and easier loading.Colonists also carried matchlock muskets, which used a match—in the form of a small piece of burning rope—to ignite gunpowder through a small hole in the gun’s loaded barrel.American Gunsmiths
For early settlers pioneering the wilderness of North America, gunsmiths became vital members of small settlementsThese skilled metalsmiths developed the American long rifle, which also became known as the Kentucky, Ohio or Pennsylvania rifle. These rifles were sometimes elaborately carved and decorated with finely etched brass or silver platesBut the rifle’s most critical quality was its extended barrel that featured twisting grooves along the interior bore. These grooves guided a lead ball or other projectile to spin as it exited the barrel, ensuring a straighter line shot and better aim for the gunner. Improved aim was especially critical for early settlers when hunting game for a mealRevolutionary War FirearmsDuring the Revolutionary War, some American militia fighters engaged in guerilla-style tactics using their hunting rifles to take out British soldiers from distant cover.ut most militia and continental soldiers used a combination of British Brown Bess and French Charleville muskets. These smoothbore weapons offered less precision in aim, but were faster to reload. As demand increased to arm the American Revolution, local gunsmiths began to manufacture their own versions of the European-made muskets.