NOW YOU KNOW

Most kites today are made and flown for fun. They come in hundreds of sizes, colors and shapes. We often see them on sunny days at the beach and in parks. But they also are the oldest form of aircraft. They probably originated in China more than 2,000 years ago, during the Han dynasty. The Chinese military attached bamboo pipes to kites, then flew them over enemy soldiers. As the wind blew through the pipes, it made a whistling sound. The noise caused the troops to panic and flee.

Source: World Book Encyclopedia

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