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Period: 300 BCE to Jan 1, 1400
Chinese History
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250 BCE
Compass
Description: The first ancient Chinese compass was created 3rd century B.C.E. The needle was made of lodestone and was placed on a piece of wood floating in a bowl of water. The lodestone showed direction by pointing North using Earth's magnetic field.
Category: Exploration and Travel
Time: 3rd Century B.C.E. -
50
Porcelain
Description: To create porcelain, the Chinese would mix clay with minerals like quartz and feldspar. Traces of these beautiful creations have been traced back as early as the 1st century, but it wasn't always beautiful. The 10th century is when things started to get a move on. Porcelain was more beautiful causing high demand, which made people mass produce these masterpieces.
Category: Industry
Time: Early as the 1st Century -
150
Paper
Description: By the second century C.E, the art of paper making was discovered made from hemp and the bark of a mulberry tree. Much like silk, the Chinese kept the art a secret for more than 500 years until the Europeans got hold of it around 1100 C.E.
Category: Industry
Time: By the 2nd Century -
150
Ships
Description: The construction of ships had started in the 2nd century. The ships had watertight compartments and sealed each section with caulk to keep out the water. These properties would make the ships very buoyant.
Category: Exploration and Travel
Time: 2nd Century -
Feb 17, 618
Bridges
Description: The ancient Chinese found new and advanced ways to improve bridges. Around 618 C.E, an engineer used a semicircle to enhance the length of bridges based off of the European bridges that used small whole circles.
Category: Exploration and Travel
Time: 7th Century, 618 C.E. -
Jan 1, 650
Printing
Description: Around the 7th century, people would carve characters into a wood block. They would then dip it in ink and print it onto the paper they had started creating a few centuries before.
Category: Industry
Time: 7th Century -
Jan 1, 850
Gunpowder
Description: An accident from trying to find the cure for death had created a trigger to cause death when gun powder was discovered in 850 C.E. Alchemists believed a mineral called saltpeter had to ability to extend life, but all it did was go BOOM. Because of this Chinese discovery, combat grew to be more advanced than it ever was before.
Category: Military Technology
Time; 850 C.E -
Jan 1, 950
Flamethrower
Description: The first flamethrower was invented in the 10th century, after gun powder. These were made of a mix of oil and gunpowder and would be used spray enemies with fire.
Category: Military Technology
Time: 10th Century -
Jan 1, 1300
Rocket Technology
Description: At first rockets were used as fireworks, invented in the Song Dynasty, but were later used as weapons. These inventions later spread through the rest of Asia and Europe in 1300.
Category: Military Technology
Time Song DYnasty
