There is no exact date or origin as to when the kites came about, but they believe that around two thousand years ago they were flown in China. A story for this is that a Chinese farmer didn't want his hat to blow away so he tied a string to his hat and thats how the first one began. During the 19th Century kites were used as tools for scientific research and vechiles. Kites got very popular in the U.S. and were used by important people like Benjamin Franklin, the Wright Brothers, and more. During the last 50 years kites have gotten more interest, and have also gotten re-designed with different designs.