Why was the empire of the Ottoman Turks considered a "gunpowder empire"? * They used guns to conquer a large area on three continents. They controlled the trade in gunpowder between Europe and Asia. They mounted guns on their ships to protect their overseas colonies. They had a monopoly on mining the nitrate used in making gunpowder.

They used guns to conquer a large area on three continents.

Explanation:

The Ottomans were one of the many empires that form the "Gunpowder Empires", flourishing during the 16th to 18th centuries. The term "gunpowder empire" refers to the kingdoms or empires that were formed by outside rulers who come together uniting their conquered lands.

One reason why the Ottoman Turks were considered a "Gunpowder empire" was because of their use of guns in conquering lands. These conquered lands include large areas covering three continents, Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Thus, the correct answer is the first option.