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By the early 1300s, travelers had brought the knowledge of gunpowder to Europe. Gunpowder forever changed the way people waged war. Eventually, weapons like crossbows, swords, and spears gave way to guns and cannons.
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The Chinese invented the art of papermaking by the second century C.E. The earliest Chinese paper was probably made from hemp and then the bark of the mulberry tree.
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The invention of paper made another key development possible: printing. In about the 7th century, the Chinese invented tecechnique called woodblock printing.
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Rocket technology was developed in China during the Song dynasty. Rockets were powered by a black powder made of saltpeter, charcoal, and sulfur.
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The Chinese who first made gunpowder were alchemists, people who practiced a blend of science and magic known as alchemy.
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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.
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Chinese knowledge of medicine and disease prevention dates to ancient times. Before the 1st century C.E., the Chinese developed a way of fighting infectious diseases. An infectious disease is one that can spread from person to
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We know from written accounts that the Chinese have been drinking tea since at least 2700 B.C. 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. -
The Chinese developed the first mechanical clock in about the 8th century. The new clock was more accurate than earlier timekeeping devices, such as sundials and hourglasses.
