Wicked Balloons Journal
Category: History & Origins
Jean-Pierre Blanchard and the First Balloon Flight in America
The first balloon flight in America lifted off in 1793 with George Washington watching. Here's the true story of Jean-Pierre Blanchard's historic…
Balloons Go to War: Ballooning in the Civil War
How Civil War hot air balloons carried Union and Confederate aeronauts aloft for battlefield reconnaissance in the 1860s.
The Golden Age of Ballooning in the 1800s
Explore the history of ballooning in the 1800s, from celebrity aeronauts to Civil War observation balloons and the Siege of Paris.
Hot Air vs. Gas Balloons: A Short History of the Rivalry
The hot air balloon vs gas balloon rivalry began in 1783 France and still shapes ballooning today. Here's the short, surprising history.
A Sheep, a Duck and a Rooster: The First Balloon Passengers
Meet the first hot air balloon passengers: a sheep, a duck, and a rooster who flew over Versailles in 1783 before any…
Who Invented the Hot Air Balloon? The Montgolfier Brothers
Who invented the hot air balloon? Meet Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier, the French brothers behind the first flight in 1783.
The First Hot Air Balloon Flight in 1783, Explained
The true story of the first hot air balloon flight in 1783, from the Montgolfier brothers' experiments to Paris's historic manned ascent.