Paintball originated in the early 1800s in England, when British soldiers employed the game to blow off steam and have a bit of fun in the trenches. Paintball evolved into an American invention during World War II when it was used by armed forces as a training tool for soldiers. It quickly spread from military applications to popular use by civilians who wanted a way to get some exercise without running around outdoors all day. The precursor to paintball was played with gunpowder, as a form of target practice. The idea was that if you ran out of gunpowder, you could still use your rifle to shoot at a target and gain points.