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150
Industry- Paper
The earliest Chinese paper was probably made from hemp and then the bark of the mulberry tree. Later, the Chinese used rags. For more than 500 years, the Chinese were the only people in the world who knew the secret of making paper. -
Period: 150 to Dec 31, 1400
CE
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250
Travel- Compass
The first Chinese compasses were pieces of magnetic material called lodestone. They later replaced the lodestone with steel needles, after discovering that, by rubbing the needle with lodestone, the needle would act like the lodestone. They used compasses for navigation at sea -
450
Travel: Paddlewheel Boat
Chinese adapted the idea of canoes by arranging multiple paddles on a wheel. People walked on a treadmill to turn the wheel and move it foreward. It was used to travel down rivers -
Feb 16, 618
Travel- Segmental Arch Bridge
In 618, a Chinese inventor created a new type of bridge that was supported by arches that were a smaller part, or segment, of a circle. This enabled bridges to be broader and flatter than semicircular arches could. -
Feb 17, 750
Industry- Tea
tea—made by letting tea leaves steep in boiling water—was drunk mostly as medicine. However, by the 8th century C.E., tea had become a hugely popular everyday beverage throughout China. Tea houses had sprung up throughout the country. -
Feb 17, 850
Military- Gunpowder
Gunpowder was accidentally created by alchemists who were trying to find the secret to eternal life with a mineral called saltpeter. The knowlege of gunpowder was not brought to Europe until 1300. -
Feb 17, 950
Industry- Porcelain
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. By the 10th century, the Chinese were making porcelain of great beauty. Crafts-people learned how to paint pictures on porcelain. They also made colored glazes to decorate their art -
Feb 18, 950
Military- Flamethrower
Chinese 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. -
Feb 18, 1300
Military- 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.
