Rockets were probably invented by accident about 2000 years ago. The Chinese had a form of gunpowder which was put in bamboo tubes and thrown into fires to make 1·during festivals. Perhaps some of the tubes jumped out of the fire instead of exploding in it. The Chinese discovered that the gunpowder 2 from the tube could lift it into the air. The idea of the rocket was 3.
The first 4 use of rockets was in 1232. The Song Dynasty was at war with the Mongols. During the 5 of Kaifeng, the Song army 6 "arrows of flying fire". The tubes were 7 to a long stick which helped keep the rocket moving in a straight direction. 8 the Mongols learned how to make rockets themselves and it is possible that they 9 them to Europe. Between the 13th and 15th century there were many rocket 10 in England, France and Italy. They were used for military purposes. One Italian scientist even invented a rocket which could travel over the surface of water and hit a(an)11 ship.
Not everybody wanted to use rockets in battles. Wan Hu, a Chinese government official, invented a 12 chair. He fixed two big kites to the chair, and 47 rockets to the kites. The rockets were lit, there was a huge explosion and 13 of thick smoke. When the smoke 14 Wan Hu and his chair had disappeared, no one knows what happened. Did Wan Hu die in the explosion? Or was he carried miles into space, becoming the world's first 15?
