Why was the idea that all substances were made from very small particles was rejected until John Dalton came along In 1808?

The idea that all substances were made from very small particles, or atoms, was largely rejected before John Dalton because of the lack of experimental evidence and the dominance of classical philosophies that favored continuous matter concepts. Philosophers like Aristotle promoted the idea of four elements (earth, water, air, fire), and this view persisted for centuries. Dalton's development of atomic theory in 1808 provided a systematic framework and empirical data, such as gas laws, that supported the notion of indivisible particles, leading to a paradigm shift in understanding matter. His work laid the foundation for modern chemistry and the acceptance of the atomic model.