Chinese Discoveries & Inventions

By adam5henry
  • Period: 300 BCE to Dec 31, 1400

    Chinese History

  • 201 BCE

    Steel

    Steel
    Steel was a very useful metal. Steel was made from iron, but it is less delicate than iron and easier to bend into shapes. INDUSTRY
  • 158

    Paper

    Paper
    The creation of paper making was very secretive. For 500 years the Chinese were the only people who had paper. INDUSTRY
  • Feb 16, 647

    Printing

    Printing
    The printer had a specific way of working. The printer first drew symbols on paper. It then glued the paper to a wooden block. When the glue was dry, the printer carved out the wood around the symbols, leaving them raised on the wood. INDUSTRY
  • Mar 16, 754

    Mechanical Clock

    Mechanical Clock
    The Chinese developed the first mechanical clock. The clock was very accurate. Every quarter hour a drum would beat. Every hour a bell would chime. EVERYDAY OBJECTS
  • Feb 14, 850

    Gunpowder

    Gunpowder
    Chinese alchemists accidentally discovered gunpowder when experimenting with saltpeter in an attempt to find a cure for death.
    MILITARY TECHNOLOGY
  • Nov 18, 854

    Game Cards

    Game Cards
    Game cards were invented in China in about the 9th century. Famous artists drew the designs that were on the backs of the cards. EVERYDAY OBJECTS
  • Jan 21, 902

    Flamethrower

    Flamethrower
    Early flamethrowers contained gunpowder mixed with oil. The Chinese used them to spray enemies with a stream of fire. MILITARY TECHNOLOGY
  • Oct 11, 910

    Paper Money

    Paper Money
    Paper money was formed because before that coins were the only form of currency. Paper money is now the most common currency. EVERYDAY OBJECTS
  • Sep 26, 1300

    Rocket Technology

    Rocket Technology
    By the 1300's, rocket technology was spread across Asia and into Europe. The rockets were powered by a black powder made of saltpeter, charcoal, and sulfur. MILITARY TECHNOLOGY