Kites

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c. 1,000 BC

Chinese legend has it that a farmer tied a piece of string onto his straw hat to keep it on his head during a wind storm, and thus the kite was born. Whatever the actual origin of the idea, Chinese people have been flying kites for thousands of years. Early kites were made of silk stretched over a bamboo frame. Kites are traditionally thought of as toys to get the kids outside, but historically, they have been used to carry military messages; kites have also been fitted with hooks and bait for fishing!