Cannons, War, & Sierra Leone

Two weeks ago, we built our cannons. We still haven't fired them yet due to cold temperatures, but we'll be sure to fire them when it's a bit warmer out.

Cannons have played a vital role in the development of war. In both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War, cannons were used as a crucial part of the military's weapons. Back when the weapons we use today - machine guns, bombs, fighter jets - didn't exist, we relied heavily on cannons. They were the machine guns of the Revolutionary War. They've been used all throughout history, but as time has passed, cannons have evolved to be bigger, better, and more efficent.



A few weeks ago, we finished up the A Long Way Gone unit in English class. I know that cannons weren't necessarily used in Sierra Leone's war, but I'm sure that they played a role in the war somehow. The Gatling Gun, a cannon used in the 1800s, was the first ever-prototype for the machine gun, which are used heavily in military action in the 20 and 21st century. Therefore, the AK-47s that Ishmael and the other child soldiers used in Sierra Leone used technically evolved from a cannon. Proof that cannons have changed the course of history many times over!

The Planning & Building of a Cannon

This morning when we started, we had a plan that was similar to this one.

One of the tennisball cans would be cut in half, and we would cut a hole in the middle of it. Can #2 would be put into the hole and would stick out. The ends of the cans would be put underneath Can #1 for support. We'd drill the hole where Can #2 stuck out of the hole in Can #1.  Can #2 - the cannon itself - would be placed at a 45 degree angle, which is prime for shooting for both height and distance. Once we got that working, this is what it looked like.

After a while of cutting and marking on the cans with sharpies, we realized that our idea wasn't working very well. We decided to change our design plan to this:

Instead of having Can #1 be placed horizontally on the table, we placed the end of Can #2 on the table and had the half of Can #1 placed underneath it as a balance. Can #2 was still placed in the hole, so it leaned on the other can for support like our original idea, just vertically. The cannon is still at a 45 degree angle.



Final Product!

There was a lot of trial and error in the making of this cannon. We worked on making it for about an hour and a half, and the first hour was creating sketches and brainstorming together.



Our materials!
 

Can #2 cut in half.

Isai working hard to position it just perfectly.

Adding tape and planning...

Travis working intensely after our idea changes!

Planning for a Cannon

Imagine you have to make a cannon tomorrow. Your tools? Two tennisball cans, 18 inches of tape, and your design. That's all!

So that's what me and my group members get to do. Our design so far is to make one of the tennisball cans be a prop for the other, and then drill a hole near the bottom. From the hole we'll fill the can with 99% ethanol gas, which will then be lit on fire - and hopefully, we'll be rewarded with a BOOM.

First, however, we have to think about chemical reactions concerning Ethanol and Oxygen. When Ethanol and Oxygen are added together, it's called a combustion reaction, meaning that no matter what, the result is going to be CO₂ and H₂O.
 In order to do this, we need to balance the chemical equation.

C₂H₅OH + O₂  => CO₂ + H₂O

In order to balance your chemical equation, you must place coefficients in front of chemicals to balance the number of each elements.
C₂H₅OH + 3 O₂ => 2 CO₂ + 3 H₂O

Cannons Through History

Pre-1800s Cannons:



Falconet Cannon
This cannon fired 1-pound round shots and grapeshots. It was used on ships, due to their light weight, although they were invented to be used on land. This cannon wasused heavily in the American Revolutionary War and eventually helped to lead the colonies to freedom. It was developed during the 15th century.



Tsar Cannon
This cannon is one of the world's biggest cannons, invented and used in Russia. The Tsar Cannon fired 800kg grapeshot for ammunition. It is the only one ever made of its kind, aside from a replica. The cannon is now stored inside the walls of the Moscow Kremlin. It was invented in 1586 in Moscow by Andrei Chokhov.


1800s Cannons:

Gatling Gun
The Gatling Gun was used in the Civil War. It was designed with six barrels that rotated around one central rod and shot through one barrel at a time. It saw very limited use, but paved the way for future, more successful cannons (and machine guns). Some say it is the first ever prototype for the modern-day machine gun. It was designed in 1861 by Richard J. Gatling and was patented in 1862. While in use, it fired .58 caliber ammunition.

Napoleon Cannon
This type of gun made up 40% of the Union and Confederate artillerary. It was first cast in 1862 in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was mainly used in the Civil War, good for short-fire and long-fire. It fired 1.5 inch iron balls.

3-Inch Ordnance Rifle
The 3-Inch Ordnance Rifle was used in the Civil War, both in the Union and Confederate artillerary. It fired solid bolt, common shells, and cannisters. This gun could fire ammunition up to 1,830 feet! It was invented by John Griffen and made of wrought-iron.

1900's Cannons:



Howitzer Cannon
 This cannon was used in World War I and World War II. The Howitzer Cannon fires shells at high speed and trajectory. They're often used in groups called "batteries" for defense. This type of cannon was invented in Sweden at the end of the 17th century. Despite the date of its invention, this cannon has mainly been used in the 20th century, and even in present-day with bigger models.


Railway/Railroad Gun
The Railroad gun was used in both World Wars, mainly in Germany. The idea for the cannon first appeared in the United Kingdoms in 1860s, by a Mr. Anderson, but the idea did not really come around until the 1900s. This cannon was used to counter a northern attack on the Confederate capital, Richmond VA.