Deployment of the weapons depicted in the first image

(A) threatened the elite warrior status traditionally afforded to Japanese samurai. (B) rendered horseback warfare completely obsolete in Japan. (C) brought about the full democratization of Japanese society. (D) caused the rapid destruction of castles built during Japan’s feudal era.Explanation: (A) This question tests causation. It also requires knowledge connected with the stimulus material, but not referred to directly by it. Early gunpowder weapons did not render castles or cavalry obsolete, either in Europe or Japan, so B and D do not apply. Japan did not democratize until well after the trend depicted in the image. As they did with knights in Europe, gunpowder weapons threatened Japan’s samurai elite, whose status depended on their skill with pre-gunpowder arms and armor.