Which one of the following best explains how gunpowder was the nemesis of traditional castles?

Correct Option: Cannons were able to knock down stone walls, so castles offered little protection.

Explanation:

Traditional castles were built with tall, relatively thin stone walls designed primarily to protect against arrows, siege towers, ladders, and infantry attacks. They provided high vantage points for defenders while keeping enemies at bay.

The introduction of gunpowder dramatically changed siege warfare through the development of heavy artillery and siege cannons. Cannonballs fired using gunpowder possessed immense kinetic energy, allowing attackers to systematically shatter, crumble, and breach high stone walls from a safe distance.

Because traditional high vertical stone walls could not withstand repeated heavy bombardment from gunpowder cannons, castles lost their primary defense function and quickly became obsolete, serving as little protection against modern artillery weapons.