Experiments with falling objects, from the time of Galileo onwards, demonstrated that objects of differing weight, but the same shape and density, did indeed fall at about the same rate. Also objects of the same weight, but differing shapes and/or densities fell at different rates; thus strongly supporting the hypothesis that the differences in rates of falling were due solely to air resistance. The later experiments, conducted in vacuum, simply confirmed beyond reasonable doubt this hypothesis.
Experiments with falling objects, from the time of Galileo onwards, demonstrated that objects of differing weight, but the same shape and density, did indeed fall at about the same rate. Also objects of the same weight, but differing shapes and/or densities fell at different rates; thus strongly supporting the hypothesis that the differences in rates of falling were due solely to air resistance. The later experiments, conducted in vacuum, simply confirmed beyond reasonable doubt this hypothesis.