When and from what was the first parachute jump?

[improbably_blonde]

A balloon, a cliff, an aero-plane contraption?

[Qburn]

Well, these people suggest it was a cliff, but also say the next confirmed jump was from a tower.

[improbably_blonde]

Thanks Qburn.

A 1,000 years ago there is evidence the Chinese had condemned prisoners jump from cliffs, using parachutes.

In 1495, over 500 years ago, Leonardo da Vinci designed a pyramid shaped chute.

Circa 1600, Fausto Veranzino jumped using a parachute from a tower in Venice.

In Thailand, in 1687, the King’s tumblers jumped from buidings with two umbrellas.

In 1783, Louis Sebastien Lenormand, of France, is generally credited with being the first to demonstrate the parachute principle.
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It’s that first item that makes you wonder, was it supposed to be a form of torture or entertainment.