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Nov 24, 800
Black powder
China invented black powder between the 9th and 10th century. Black powder is a mixture of saltpeter (potassium nitrate), sulfur, and charcoal (carbon). This was the basis of most types of firearms including guns and cannons. -
May 16, 1200
Invention of the Firearm
Invented in china around the 13th century AD. Later transmitted to the Middle East and Africa and Europe, where they were later improved. -
First Bullet
The first actual bullet was invented by a French man named Louis-Nicolas Flobert during the mid 19th century. This bullet could be loaded faster because you wouldn't have to load each material separately, instead it is all in one case. -
Manually functioning weapons
The first somewhat practical fully automatic weapons were invented in 1884 and used one person to turn a crank and feed bullets to the gun, and another to aim (although it could be done with one). These would often backfire or jam which made them less common. -
Semi Automatic Firearms
The semi automatic firearm was significant because you could shoot more bullets during a shorter period of time. This led to being able to shoot more bullets into your enemy, or if you missed, you would not have to wait to shoot again.
