Gunpowder
Gunpowder was created by ancient Chinese alchemists trying to make a potion for immortality and ever lasting life. After the Chinese found out that gunpowder exploded they used it in fireworks in festivals and displays. after a long period of time the Chinese started to use it in war. they first used it to scare people off before they fought them, but sooner found out that if someone was close to the explosion when it went off they might die and used gunpowder as a weapon of destruction. The first weapon that involved gunpowder used in war was a cannon. Cannons were used to smash catapults and rams into pieces so that eventually the enemy would be defenceless to the cannon and have to surrender. the Chinese would also shoot the cannons at people so that would wipe out a large group of people with one shot instead of 50 or more arrows. Another famous ancient Chinese use for gunpowder was hole making. They would fire cannon balls into the ground to make a hole and then set up traps and mines for hiding and capturing enemy troops.