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Period: 300 BCE to 1400
Chinese Inventions
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250
Compass
The Chinese created the first compass in the 3rd century. It was made of lodestone, since it is magnetic, it is atracted to the poles. -
450
Paper
Chinese were the only people in the world who knew the secret to paper making. The oldest Chinese paper was made from the bark of a mulberry tree. -
459
Paddle Wheel
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. -
618
Canal
Another way the Chinese improved transportation was by developing a new type of canal lock, during the Song dynasty. The Chinese used canals extensively to connect the many rivers. -
750
Printer
The printer drew character (symbols) on paper.Then, the paper would be glued to a wooden block. -
750
Tea
Tea, made by letting tea leaves steep in boiling water, was drunk mostly as medicine. Tea was made thousands of years ago but it was most popular around this time. -
850
Gunpowder
Chinese scientists accidentally discovered gunpowder when looking for eternal life. -
1000
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. -
1300
Rocket Technology
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.
