Ancient China

The Legend Of Silk

2696 BCE

Silk became a prized export for the Chinese. Nobles and kings of foreign lands desired silk and would pay high prices for the cloth. The emperors of China wanted to keep the process for making silk a secret. Anyone caught telling the secret or taking silkworms out of China was put to death.

Entertainment and Games

500 BCE

The kite was invented in China around 500 BC. At first the kite was mostly used for military purposes. During the Tang Dynasty, however, kites became a popular form of entertainment. Kites were made from paper or silk with bamboo frames.

The Grand Canal

480 BCE

The Ancient Chinese built early canal to help with transportation and commerce. One early section was the Han Gou Canal built by Kin Fuchai of Wu around 480 B.C.

Asoka

273 BCE

Asoka was one of the most powerful kings of the Indian subcontinent. A ruler of the Mauryan Empire, Ashoka ruled over the country from 273 BC to 232 BC. The reign of Emperor Asoka covered most of India.

The Emperor Quin

210 BCE

Emperor Qin wanted to live forever. He spent much of his life and resources searching for immortality and the "elixir of life". He also spent a huge amount of resources building for himself the largest single tomb built to a leader in the history of the world.

Shivaji

204 BCE

Shivaji Bhosale was the founder and the greatest king of the Maratha Empire. Hailing from the Bhosle Maratha clan, he created an independent Maratha kingdom with Raigad as its capital. He was crowned as Chhatrapati for leading the struggle against the Adilshahi sultanate of Bijapur and the Mughal Empire.

Chinese Inventions

105 BCE

The Chinese invented the magnetic compass to help determine the correct direction. They used this in city planning at first, but it became very important to map makers and for the navigation of ships.

the Chinese Calender

104 BCE

the Chinese calendar was developed by many of the Chinese dynasties of Ancient China. However, it was in 104 BC during the rule of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty that the current calendar was defined.

Chnese Calender

104 BCE

The Chinese calendar was developed by many of the Chinese dynasties of Ancient China. However, it was in 104 BC during the rule of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty that the current calendar was defined.

Life In Ancient India

100 BCE

Life was much different for those living in the city. People in the cities worked a variety of jobs including merchants, craftsmen, government officials, and scholars. Many cities in Ancient China grew very large with some having populations totaling hundreds of thousands of people.