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Period: 3000 BCE to Dec 31, 1400
Chinese History
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618 BCE
Arched Bridges
The Chinese also found ways to improve bridges. For example, in 618 C.E. , a Chinese engineer completed a new type of arched bridge. In Europe, Roman-designed bridges rested on arches that were half-circles. The new Chinese bridge used arches that were a smaller part, or segment, of a circle. This made the bridges broader and flatter than semicircular arches could. Called a segmental arch bridge, the new type of bridge took less material to build and was stronger, as well. EXPLORATION & TRAVEL -
250 BCE
Steel
The Chinese first made steel, a very useful metal, before 200 B.C.E. Steel is made from iron, but it is less brittle than iron and easier to bend into different shapes. The earliest Chinese steel was made from cast iron. The Chinese were the first to learn how to make cast iron by melting and molding iron ore. Later they learned that blowing air into molten, or melted, cast iron causes a chemical reaction that creates steel. Steel is a great deal stronger than iron. INDUSTRY -
250 BCE
Compass
The first Chinese compasses were pieces of a magnetic mineral called lodestone. Earth itself is like a giant magnet with north and south poles. Because lodestone is magnetic, it is influenced by Earth’s magnetic poles. If you put a piece of lodestone on wood and float it in a bowl of water, the lodestone will turn until it points in a north-south direction. EXPLORATION & TRAVEL -
50 BCE
Porcelain
Another Chinese invention is a type of fine pottery called porcelain. Some historians think that the Chinese produced the first porcelain as early as the 1st century C.E. 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. The resulting pottery is white, hard, and waterproof. However, light can pass through it, so that despite its sturdiness it looks quite delicate and beautiful. INDUSTRY -
450
Paddle Boat
As you push your paddle through the water, the boat moves forward. In the 5th century, the Chinese adapted this idea by arranging a series of paddles in a wheel. People walked on a treadmill to turn the paddle wheel, which in turn moved through the water, moving the boat forward. EXPLORATION & TRAVEL -
Jan 1, 650
Printer
The invention of paper made another key development possible: printing. In about the 7th century, the Chinese invented a technique called woodblock printing. The printer first drew characters (symbols) on paper. He then glued the paper to a wooden block. When the glue was dry, the printer carved out the wood around the characters, leaving the characters raised on the wood. INDUSTRY -
Feb 13, 850
Gunpowder
Discovered accidentally by alchemists who were working with substances called saltpeter. They were looking for something that would allow them to live forever. MILITARY TECHNOLOGY -
Jan 1, 950
Flame Thrower
By the 10th century, the Chinese had made the first weapon that used gunpowder: the flamethrower. Early flamethrowers contained gunpowder mixed with oil. The Chinese used them to spray enemies with a stream of fire. MILITARY TECHNOLOGY -
Jan 1, 1300
Rocket Technology
Rocket technology was developed in China during the Song dynasty. Rockets were powered by a black powder made of saltpeter, charcoal, and sulfur. At first, rockets were used only in fireworks. Later, the Chinese used them as weapons. They even developed a two-stage rocket for their armies. The first stage propelled the rocket through the air. The second stage dropped arrows down on the enemy. MILITARY TECHNOLOGY
