The first cannons were probably hand-made, and their design was akin to that of a hand-held mortar. These weapons were used in siege warfare for launching balls at high velocity targets with low calibres and a broad bore. Their powder chamber was built into the gun's barrel. The gun was then cast with trunnions in the barrel and wedges under its muzzle.
In siege warfare, artillery was used
Artillery was used in siege warfare long before cannons were invented. French besiegers used the trebuchets for pounding Rennes, France, in the thirteenth century. Later, the Byzantines used trebuchets to besiege Constantinople in 1453. In 1480 the Ottomans used slings against Rhodes.
Incendiary purposes were served by cannons
Cannons were used as deadly weapons during the Civil War. Their ramming sound was widely used to calculate their velocity. But they had also to account the various conditions that could occur during firing. The most common type of cannon during the Civil War was the muzzle-loader, or rammer-loaded cannon. The cannon's internal diameter VENT must be small enough that the powder charge can ignite. Otherwise, the cannon would misfire or fire with lower velocity.
They were used for defense of fortifications
The revolution in fortifications was triggered by the advent of gunpowder. The starfort emerged in Italy around the middle-15th century. This fortress replaced the old passive ring-shaped defenses. This new fortress design made the fortress vulnerable to cannonfire, which could have been directed at the perpendicular brick wall. This allowed the attackers to perform undermining missions without risking their life.
They were transformed into field carriages
Many units used Mountain Howitzers to get artillerymen when they ran out of ammunition in the US West. These were self-propelled guns that were mounted on a tank chassis. Problem with mounting these guns on tanks was their weight. Cross-training Infantry and Cavalry men to operate the guns was the solution. This weapon was called "instant artillery".
They were made from bamboo
Bamboo cannons, the earliest artillery pieces, are still in use today. They started as hollow bamboo shoots. But over time, they became more powerful and cast-metal. Professor Robin Yates from McGill University claims that the world's oldest illustration of a cannon was created in 1127 A.D. This painting shows the firing of a cannon. It was created before Europeans were able to produce artillery pieces.
They were made out of gunpowder
Gunpowder was used to make cannons when they were invented. However, it is unclear when and where the gunpowder was used. Some historians believe that it was developed in China, but there is some debate over the distribution of gunpowder recipes throughout Eurasia. No matter what, gunpowder technology and recipes spread quickly along the Silk Road.