Battering ram

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/battering-ram

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary function?To breach fortified structures, primarily gates and walls, during sieges
2. What is the earliest documented use?Neo-Assyrian Empire, circa 9th century BCE, with evidence of earlier, simpler forms
3. How did the battering ram help armies win battles?By pounding gates quickly, battering rams let armies get inside forts faster than waiting for food to run out or digging tunnels. The pounding also scared defenders and showed the attackers were strong.
4. Why were battering rams covered with wet hides?Wet hides protected the ram from fire. If the enemy tried to burn it, the wet skin kept it from catching fire and kept the soldiers safe.

Kinetic Energy: The energy an object possesses due to its motion.
Momentum: The product of an object's mass and its velocity; a measure of its motion.
Stress Concentration: The localized increase in stress in a material around a discontinuity or point of load application.