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150
SHIPS (exploration/travel)
he Chinese also made sea travel safer by improving boat construction.By the 2nd century C.E., they started building ships with separate, watertight compartments.Builders divided the ships into sections and sealed each section with caulk, a sealant that keeps out water.If there were a leak, it would be isolated.The other compartments would not fill with water, keeping the ship afloat.Modern shipbuilders still use. -
200
IMPROVING TRAVEL BY SEA (exploration/travel)
The Chinese developed the first compass as early as the 3rd century B.C.E. 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. -
400
Improving Travel on Rivers, Lakes, Canals, and Bridges (exploration/time)
Within China, people often traveled by boat on rivers or across lakes. An innovation of a vessel called a paddlewheel boat made this type of travel must faster. Have you ever paddled a canoe or other small 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 paddlewheel, which in turn moved through the water, moving the boat forward. -
Feb 21, 700
MECHANICAL CLOCK (everyday objects)
The Chinese developed the first mechanical clock in about the 8th century. The new clock was more accurate than earlier timekeeping devices, such as sundials and hourglasses. The Chinese devised a wheel that made one complete turn every 24 hours. Dripping water made the wheel turn. Every quarter hour, drums would beat; and every hour, a bell would chime. The sounds let people know what time it was. -
Feb 14, 1200
DRINKING TEA ( everyday objects)
During the Tang Dynasty, the first tea-plant seeds were brought to Japan. Today, tea is one of the most popular beverages in the world.And, as in ancient China, people now often drink tea for their health. -
Feb 21, 1200
BOMBS (military inventions)
In the 13th century, the Chinese used large bombs that were as explosive as modern bombs. Around the same time, they developed weapons much like today’s rifles and cannons. -
Feb 14, 1300
ROCKET TECHNOLOGY (military inventions)
Rocket technology was developed in China during the Song dynasty.Rockets werepowered 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. The rockets that we use to explore space today are based on principles discovered by the Chinese -
Feb 17, 1300
Gunpowder (military inventions)
The Chinese who first made gunpowder were alchemists, people who practiced a blend of science and magic known as alchemy. Alchemists experimented with mixtures of natural ingredients, trying to find a substance that might allow people to live forever. They also searched for a way to make gold out of cheaper metals. -
GAME CARDS/PAPER MONEY (everyday objects)
Game cards were invented in China in about the 9th century. Printers used woodblock printing to make the cards from thick paper. Famous artists drew the designs that appeared on the backs of the cards. Europeans were introduced to card games by the late 1300s. Today, card games are played throughout the world.
