Why did the Montgolfier brothers create the balloon?

The Montgolfier brothers, Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Étienne, created the balloon out of a fascination with the principles of buoyancy and the properties of hot air. In 1782, they successfully launched a paper balloon, demonstrating that heated air could lift an object. Their experiments aimed to explore the potential for human flight, which culminated in the first manned flight in 1783. This groundbreaking achievement sparked interest in aviation and laid the groundwork for future developments in flight technology.