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Gunpowder originated in China during the 8th century, and it was invented by Daoist alchemists. When the alchemists experimented and combined sulfur, saltpeter and charcoal, they created gunpowder. The first use of gunpowder in China was as a fumigant used to kill off insects and care for skin infections. This invention would dramatically change warfare in future years.

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A depiction of one of the first rockets made by the Chinese.

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10th Century: First Experiments With Gunpowder

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10th Century: First Experiments With Gunpowder

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Some of the first successful experiments with gunpowder occurred during the 10th century, when gunpowder was put through cylinders. At first, these cylinders were secured to arrows and shot with bows. The Chinese later found out that these cylinders can shoot by themselves through the power from the gas escaping the tube. Because of this, rockets, flamethrowers, bombs, land mines, and grenades were created.

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A picture of what one of the first cannons looked like.

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When the Chinese learned that as a bullet is ignited, it produces enough force to release the bullet at a high speed without breaking the barrel, the first gun was invented. The first gun was 6.9 inches long and had a 1 inch diameter. Similar technology was applied when the Chinese created the first cannon. The first cannon was 14 inches long and weighed 13 pounds and 11 ounces. These weapons were first seen in warfare during 1288, and they were used by the Mongols during Kublai Khan’s reign. However, cannons and guns were not very successful at killing invaders during this time.

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13th Century: The Spread of Gunpowder into Europe

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13th Century: The Spread of Gunpowder into Europe

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Gunpowder spread to Europe through both the Silk Road and by Mongol invasion. The Europeans improved gunpowder when they discovered that by wetting the gunpowder throughout the grinding process, the gunpowder would stay properly mixed after drying. This resulted in “corned” gunpowder, or gunpowder that was in small and uniform fragments. “Corned” gunpowder was 30% to 300% stronger than the Chinese gunpowder, leading to the rise of stronger, safer, and more effective cannons. Gunpowder began to truly revolutionize combat during this time.

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An image of gunpowder exploding large rocks while mining.

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17th Century: Gunpowder in Civil Engineering

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17th Century: Gunpowder in Civil Engineering

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Another purpose of gunpowder was for civil use, as it was used in mining. Before gunpowder was introduced to mining, sizable rocks could only be mined by hand or with fire. Gunpowder was used in mining for the first time in Hungary, and it spread to Britain and Germany soon after. Gunpowder made mining faster and easier for laborers. Additionally, other ways that gunpowder was used in civil engineering was the construction of canals, and it would later be used for railroad construction.

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In today’s world, gunpowder is mainly obsolete from weaponry, and has been replaced by a smokeless powder called cordite. Gunpowder is still used in present day for entertainment purposes, for example in pyrotechnics such as fireworks. Despite this, the invention of gunpowder still set the groundwork for modern firearms and reshaped warfare from that point on.