Good evening. Please write an essay with full citations on one of the following topics:


a) Are Norton extensions safe? Could they contain spyware? Do extension in general often contain spyware?


b) Which episode of Law and Order: SVU had a story about a cop, a lawyer saying the words "he made you laugh" and the judge and jury laughing at a story told in the courtroom?


c) How advanced could bronze weapons and armour have become if humanity had continued trying to make advances in that area after the Bronze Age?


d) Could Batista have invaded Spain during World War Two?


For this assignment, I have chosen to write about topic c) How advanced could bronze weapons and armour have become if humanity had continued trying to make advances in that area after the Bronze Age? This is an interesting question that explores the hypothetical scenario of a different technological development in human history. 


Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin that was widely used for making weapons and armour in ancient times. It has some advantages over iron, such as being easier to cast, harder to corrode, and more resistant to bending. However, it also has some disadvantages, such as being heavier, more brittle, and more expensive. The Bronze Age lasted from about 3000 BC to 1200 BC, when iron became more widely available and replaced bronze as the dominant metal for warfare.


If humanity had continued to use bronze instead of iron, how would the weapons and armour have evolved? One possible answer is that they would have become more sophisticated and diverse, with different types of bronze alloys being used for different purposes. For example, some bronze alloys could have been made harder by adding zinc or arsenic, while others could have been made softer by adding lead or antimony. These variations could have allowed for more specialized weapons and armour, such as swords, spears, axes, helmets, shields, breastplates, etc.


Another possible answer is that they would have become more ornate and decorative, with more attention to aesthetics and symbolism. For example, some bronze weapons and armour could have been embellished with gold, silver, or enamel, while others could have been engraved with patterns or inscriptions. These features could have reflected the status and identity of the warriors, as well as their religious or cultural beliefs.


A third possible answer is that they would have become more integrated with other materials and technologies, such as wood, leather, bone, stone, or even glass. For example, some bronze weapons and armour could have been combined with wooden handles or shafts, leather straps or sheaths, bone or stone tips or blades, or glass beads or gems. These combinations could have enhanced the functionality and durability of the weapons and armour, as well as their aesthetic appeal.


In conclusion, if humanity had continued to use bronze instead of iron for weapons and armour after the Bronze Age, they could have become more advanced in various ways. However, it is unlikely that bronze would have ever surpassed iron in terms of strength and versatility. Therefore, it is probable that iron would have eventually replaced bronze anyway, as it did in reality.


References:


Chase, W.T. (1980). The Development of Bronze Technology in China and Its Implications for Cultural Development. Journal of Anthropological Research 36(1), 1-20.


Drews, R. (1993). The End of the Bronze Age: Changes in Warfare and the Catastrophe ca. 1200 B.C. Princeton University Press.


Killick D., & Fenn T.R. (2012). Archaeometallurgy: The Study of Preindustrial Mining and Metallurgy. Annual Review of Anthropology 41(1), 559-575.


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