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For several thousand years, 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. INDUSTRY.
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The Chinese discovered that you could use a magnetic mineral called load stone. They figured out 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. EXPLORATION AND TRAVEL.
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The earliest Chinese paper was probably made from hemp and then the bark of the mulberry tree. Later, the Chinese used rags. Paper-making became an important industry in China.For more than 500 years, the Chinese were the only people in the world who knew the secret of making paper. INDUSTRY.
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These boats were used like you would use a canoe or kayak. 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 paddle-wheel, which in turn moved through the water, moving the boat forward. EXPLORATION AND TRAVEL.
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A Chinese engineer completed a new type of arched bridge. In Europe, Roman-designed bridges rested on arches that were half-circles.EXPLORATION AND TRAVEL.
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The printer first drew characters (symbols) on paper. He then glued the paper to a wooden block. When the glue was dry, the printer carved out the wood around the characters, leaving the characters raised on the wood. INDUSTRY.
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Chinese alchemists accidentally discovered gunpowder when they were working with saltpeter to find a cure for death. MILITARY TECHNOLOGY.
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The Chinese made the first flamethrower with gunpowder that was mixed with oil. MILITARY TECHNOLOGY
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The rockets were developed during the song dynasty. They were powered by black powder made of saltpeter, charcoal, and sulfur. They were used to rain arrows down on the enemy. MILITARY TECHNOLOGY
