Chinese Inventions

By carpmaur62
  • Period: 3000 BCE to Feb 14, 1400

    Chinese History

  • 2700 BCE

    Tea

    Tea
    Tea was made by letting tea leaves steep in boiling water. Back then, tea was used mostly as a medicine. It was until the 8th century did people start thinking of it as a beverage. Tea cultivation hasn't changed much since early times. Farmers grow small tea trees or shrubs and then harvest them, dry the leaves in the sunlight until finally they go in a small oven. INDUSTRY
  • 450 BCE

    Paddlewheel Boat

    Paddlewheel Boat
    The paddlewheel boat made transportation much faster. They figured out this idea by arranging a series of paddles in a wheel. The Chinese people-powered paddlewheel boat was much easier to maneuver and faster to travel with than the Roman paddlewheel boat that was powered by oxen. EXPLORATION/TRAVEL
  • 250 BCE

    Steel

    Steel
    The Chinese created steel, which is made from iron. Iron and steel are alike, but steel is much stronger, and easier to bend into different shapes. INDUSTRY
  • 250 BCE

    Compass

    Compass
    The magnetic compass was invented by the Chinese in the third century. It was used to navigate at sea. Instead of having to use landmarks or points in the sky they had the compass to navigate. It is still use today. EXPLORATION/TRAVEL
  • 150

    Paper

    Paper
    For more than 500 years the Chinese were the only people who knew how to make paper. The paper was probably make from hemp and then the bark of a mulberry tree. INDUSTRY
  • Jan 1, 618

    Segmental Arch Bridge

    Segmental Arch Bridge
    A Chinese engineer created a Segmental Arch Bridge, which was broader and flatter than semicircular bridges. It also took less material to build and was stronger. EXPLORATION/TRAVEL
  • Jan 1, 750

    Mechanical Clock

    Mechanical Clock
    The mechanical clock made by the Chinese used sounds to help people know what time it was. Every quarter of an hour a drum would beat, every hour a bell would chime, and every 24 hours the wheel would turn. The wheel was turned by dripping water. The Chinese improved their clock in 1092, making their clock more complex and accurate. EVERYDAY OBJECTS
  • Feb 16, 780

    Paper Money

    Paper Money
    Before money, coins were the only form of currency. Multiple wood blocks were used to print each bill. Each bill had many different colors. EVERYDAY OBJECTS
  • Jan 1, 850

    Game Cards

    Game Cards
    Game cards were made by printers using woodblock printing to make the cards from thick paper. The designs on the back of the cards were drawn by famous artists. EVERYDAY OBJECTS