CSMH History Class

850 - Chinese invent gunpowder

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Introduction

850-Chinese Invent Gunpowder

During the eighth century,in the Tang Dynasty,the Alchemists who study alchemy stumbled on to something new.They were trying to make a potion to make people live longer,they thought saltpeter could extend the life of a human.So they started experimenting with this white mineral.They mixed sulpher, saltpeter,and carcoal together,this created a big boom.At first they warned against it because it was dangerous, but then saw the potiental in ths black powdery stuff.This is what we now, know of, as gunpowder.

Gunpowder may have been a mistake,but it was a good mistake in the eyes of China.They had their hands on a powerful substance.They didn't even know how powerful until they started to do more experiments.They soon started to use it for weapons against their enemies.

The first weapon they created with this powerful stuff was a flamethrower.The first flamethrower was gunpowder mixed with oil, they used it to spray their enemies with fire.They made lots of weapons with gunpowder,Artillery shells,grenades,and later many large bombs.But in the early days they would put the small artillery shells on catapults to throw at the enemies.Gunpowder changed the way war was fought,around the world.

China created rockets with gunpowder and used them only for fireworks.Then realized again, the other destructive ways they could use them.Rockets soon became a good weapon to use in war.

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