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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. -
The 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 this technique. -
Porcelain Another Chinese invention is a type of fine pottery called porcelain. Some
historians think that the Chinese produced the first porcelain as early as the 1st century
C.E.Porcelain is made by combining clay with the minerals quartz -
Paper The Chinese invented the art of paper making by the second century C.E. The earliest Chinese paper was
probably made from hemp and then the bark of the mulberry tree. Later, the Chinese used rags. -
Improving Travel on Rivers, Lakes, Canals, and Bridges Within China, people often traveled by boat on rivers or
across lakes. An innovation of a vessel called a paddle wheel boat made this type of travel must faster. -
Printing The invention of paper made another key
development possible: printing. In about the 7th century,
the Chinese invented a technique called woodblock
printing. 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. -
Chinese alchemists accidentally discovered when trying to find the secret to eternal life.
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By the 10th century, the Chinese had made the first weapon that used gunpowder: the flamethrower. Early
flamethrowers contained gunpowder mixed with oil. The Chinese used them to spray enemies with a stream of fire. -
Between the 11th and 14th centuries, the Chinese created many other weapons using gunpowder. Artillery shells, for
example, exploded after being hurled at enemies by a war machine called a catapult. The sound of the exploding
