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Tea was made by letting tea leaves steep in boiling water. Back then, tea was used mostly as a medicine. It was until the 8th century did people start thinking of it as a beverage. Tea cultivation hasn't changed much since early times. Farmers grow small tea trees or shrubs and then harvest them, dry the leaves in the sunlight until finally they go in a small oven. INDUSTRY
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The paddlewheel boat made transportation much faster. They figured out this idea by arranging a series of paddles in a wheel. The Chinese people-powered paddlewheel boat was much easier to maneuver and faster to travel with than the Roman paddlewheel boat that was powered by oxen. EXPLORATION/TRAVEL
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The Chinese created steel, which is made from iron. Iron and steel are alike, but steel is much stronger, and easier to bend into different shapes. INDUSTRY
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The magnetic compass was invented by the Chinese in the third century. It was used to navigate at sea. Instead of having to use landmarks or points in the sky they had the compass to navigate. It is still use today. EXPLORATION/TRAVEL
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For more than 500 years the Chinese were the only people who knew how to make paper. The paper was probably make from hemp and then the bark of a mulberry tree. INDUSTRY
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A Chinese engineer created a Segmental Arch Bridge, which was broader and flatter than semicircular bridges. It also took less material to build and was stronger. EXPLORATION/TRAVEL
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The mechanical clock made by the Chinese used sounds to help people know what time it was. Every quarter of an hour a drum would beat, every hour a bell would chime, and every 24 hours the wheel would turn. The wheel was turned by dripping water. The Chinese improved their clock in 1092, making their clock more complex and accurate. EVERYDAY OBJECTS
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Before money, coins were the only form of currency. Multiple wood blocks were used to print each bill. Each bill had many different colors. EVERYDAY OBJECTS
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Game cards were made by printers using woodblock printing to make the cards from thick paper. The designs on the back of the cards were drawn by famous artists. EVERYDAY OBJECTS
