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Period: 300 BCE to 1400
Chinese History
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50
Porcelain
The minerals quartz and feldspar are mixed to make porcelain. This mixture is baked at a very high temperature in a kiln or a pottery oven. -
150
Paper
Chinese paper at its earliest was likely made from hemp and then the bark of the mulberry tree. -
450
Paddlewheel Boats
A treadmill was walked on by people, so the paddlewheel would turn. Because people walked on the treadmill, the paddlewheel moved through the water, making the boat go forward. A paddlewheel-powered, boat powered by oxen had been developed by the Romans. However people are easier to conduct than oxen. -
750
Mechanical Clock
The first mechanical clock was made out of a wheel that made a full turn every 24 hours. The wheel would turn because of dripping water. Drums would beat every quarter hour and a bell would chime every hour to make people aware of the time. -
795
Paper Money
Prior to the invention of paper money, coins were the only currency. Paper money was printed with wood blocks. -
850
Gunpowder
Chinese alchemists accidentally discover when looking for the secret to eternal life. -
850
Game cards
Woodblock printing was used by printers to make cards out of thick paper. The designs that appeared on the back of the cards were designed by prominent artists. -
1120
Rocket Technology
Charcoal, saltpeter and sulfur made a black powder that powered the rockets. Rockets, at first were only utilized in fireworks. -
1120
Steaming/Boiling Things to prevent the spread of illness
A Chinese monk suggested the idea that the clothes of the ill should be steamed. He thought that doing this would stop others from getting sick. In modern times, we now boil medical instruments to destroy germs that produce diseases.
