chinese inventions

tea

2700 BCE

People have been drinking tea since about 2700 bc. Tea was mainly used as a form of medicine.

porcelain

50

a type of fine china that in most places is still called china.

deicse prevention

50

Today, we know that many diseases are caused by germs. We prevent the spread of disease by using disinfectants—
substances, such as chlorine bleach—that kill germs. The poisonous smoke used by the Chinese was a type of
disinfectant.

Paper

150

Considering how important it is for recording and transmitting information, few inventions touch our daily lives more than paper.

steel

150

steel is made from iron but less brittle

steel

150

steel is made from iron but less brittle

printing

650

the people of early china used woodem tool like scrapers on a piece of wood to print

mechanical clock

750

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.

clocks

750

the clocks worked faster and better than hourglasses

game borads and paper money

850

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.

Gunpowder

850

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.

Gunpowder

850

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 and paper money

850

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.

rockets

1300

Rocket technology was developed in China during the Song dynasty. Rockets were powered 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.