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Period: 3000 BCE to Dec 31, 1400
Chinese History
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2700 BCE
TEA
First made by letting tea leaves steep in boiling water. It became very popular all throughout China. Later in about 1200 it became an industry. There were jobs as farmers growing tea trees, drying, and shipping it to other countries. INDUSTRY -
250 BCE
COMPASS
Invented as early as the 3rd century B.C.E. The original compass was made out of lodestone, which was magnetic. They later replaced it with a steel needle. It was more accurate. This assisted them on long voyages. EXPLORATION & TRAVEL -
150 BCE
STEEL
It is made from iron, but it is easier to bend into shapes. They were the first to learn how to melt iron and mold iron ore. By blowing air into the cast iron steel was created, which is a whole lot stronger. It was later mass produced in the 1800s. INDUSTRY -
50
PORCELAIN
A type of very nice pottery. Made by combining clay with other minerals like quartz and feldspar. It is baked at hard temperatures, then becomes hard and white. They were used in lots of homes that showed great fanciness and elegance. Thye were also traded out to other countries. INDUSTRY -
450
PADDLE WHEEL BOAT
People walked on treadmills, which were connect to the paddle wheel. By walking they powered the wheel, then causing the boat to move forward. This made travel faster and easier to control. EXPLORATION & TRAVEL -
Feb 13, 850
GUNPOWDER
Discovered accidentally by alchemists who were working with a substance called saltpeter. They were looking for something that would allow them to live forever. MILITARY TECHNOLOGY -
Jun 12, 950
FLAMETHROWER
This was the first weapon the Chinese invented that used gunpowder. They ran off of gunpowder and oil. These came in handy, and they used them to set fire to anime's. MILITARY TECHNOLOGY -
Feb 16, 1130
ROCKET TECHNOLOGY
Was developed during the Song Dynasty. They were powered by saltpeter, charcoal, and sulfur. They were originally used as fireworks, but then used for military reasons. This later spread around the globe. MILITARY TECHNOLOGY -
Sep 4, 1179
CANAL LOCK
There was an old canal lock system in place, but the only downfall was that people had to drag their boats up ramps. This new system worked much more efficient. It worked by raising or lowering the water level, so that boats could travel through at different levels. EXPLORATION & TRAVEL