-
2700 BCE
They Invented tea
For several
thousand years, tea—made by letting tea leaves steep in boiling water—was drunk mostly as medicine. -
850 BCE
They Invented Gunpowder (Military Tech.)
The Chinese who first made gunpowder were alchemists, people who practiced a
blend of science and magic known as alchemy. Alchemists experimented with mixtures of natural ingredients, trying
to find a substance that might allow people to live forever. -
206 BCE
They invented the Compass (E&Travel)
The Chinese developed the first
compass as early as the 3rd century B.C.E. The first
Chinese compasses were pieces of a magnetic mineral
called lodestone. -
50
They invented Porcelain (Industry)
Porcelain is made by combining clay with the minerals quartz and feldspar. The mixture is baked in a kiln, or pottery oven, at very high temperatures. -
800
They invented mechanical clocks (Everyday obj.)
The Chinese developed the first mechanical clock in about the 8th
century. The new clock was more accurate than earlier timekeeping devices, such as sundials and hourglasses. -
800
They invented Paper money (Everyday Obj.)
Paper money was invented by the Chinese in the late 8th or early 9th century. Before that time, coins were the only
form of currency. -
900
They invented bombs (Military Tech.)
In the 13th century, the Chinese used large bombs that were as explosive as modern bombs. -
1300
They invented Game Cards (Everyday obj.)
Printers used
woodblock printing to make the cards from thick paper. Famous artists drew the designs that appeared on the backs
of the cards. -
1300
They invented Rocket Technology (Military Tech.)
Rockets were powered by
a black powder made of saltpeter, charcoal, and sulfur. -
1400
They Invented movable types (Industry)
Movable type consists
of separate blocks for each character. Printers made their
type by carving characters out of clay and baking them.
