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| Version | User | Scope of changes |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 13 2007, 1:39 AM EDT (current) | syuni | 241 words added, 6 words deleted, 1 photo added |
| Jun 13 2007, 12:17 AM EDT | syuni | 213 words added, 5 words deleted, 3 photos added |
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C is for Magnetic Compass
by: Nathan Taylor
Who: Wang Tchen Touo
Wang was a scholar who found a book about how lodestones attract metal objects. Based on this book he designed a compass. When he was done he found through trial that it always pointed south.
When: Between 20 - 100 ad
How is it made: A lodestone was placed on the end of a spoon like object, and the Chinese people found that it always pointed south. That meant that they could navigate the different directions by knowing where south is.
What is it used for: The Compass is used to navigate in areas where people can get lost say for instance; most sailors would probably use a compass to tell which way to point the ship so they can get to their destination.
How is it different from today: Over the years compasses have been redesigned and refined so that now it is much more accurate. Compasses that look very complicated. Compasses aren't used much today because of the massive increase in human technology.
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/compass
http://www.solarnavigator.net/compass.htm
http://www.google.com.au/
D
E
F is for Fireworks in China
by: Harris Sar'i
Fireworks are probably one of the most famous inventions the Chinese have ever made.
Fireworks were first made in China around 206 BC-AD 220. They produced a loud sound known in Chinese as "Bian pao" that was meant to frighten away evil spirits. In the Northern and Southern Dynasties in AD 420-581, firecrackers were used to make everything evil go away and to pray for happiness and prosperity. The Chinese also use fireworks on Chinese New Year because they believe fireworks will erase any bad spirits and memories from the past year.
The discovery of gunpowder and the invention of fireworks are all thanks to the Chinese. Taoist monks played with the basic components of gunpowder which are: Sulfur; potassium nitrate and carbon to create fireworks in their spare time. Eventually, the art and science of firework making developed into a profession of its own.
In ancient China, pyrotechnicians (firework makers) were well-respected for their knowledge and skill to put on fantastic and beautiful displays of light and sound.
Sources and Bibliography
Encarta Reference Library encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/fireworks
G is for Gunpowder in Ancient China
by: John Hickey
Information from about.com wikipedia and travel China.
H
I
J
K is for Kites in China
by: Yuuka Maeda
3.000 years ago the kite was first invented in China. The kite was invented by Mozi-Lu-Ban. The kite was easy to make because the materials were available.
Kites were made of sticks of bamboo and silk. Some people say kites might have been invented in Indonesia or Malaya at the same time they were kites made of leaves. Later it went to Japan and other countries Asia and North Africa. In Indonesia and Malaya, they made a paper kites.
Paper kites uses for message and help sign. Some of the paper kites have speaker and you can hear the music. The kite began to fly in Europe.
Websites that I used:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/kitehistory
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/arts/kites.htm
http://www.chinakites.com/
L is for Land Mines
of Ancient Chinaby Desne Smalberger
Who invented it? Some sources report that the 3rd century Prime Minister, Zhuge Liang of the Kingdom of Shu in China, invented a landmine type device in the third century. This report was made by Jiao Yu in his Fire-drake Manual in One Complete Volume (Huo Long Jing Quan Zhi), Which he wrote in 1412 AD (although the book was originally printed in the mid 14th century), and that Zhuge had used not only "fire weapons" but landmines in the Battle of Hulugu Valley against the forces of Sima Yi and his son Sima Zhao of the Wei Kingdom.
What did they use it for? They used land mines for destroying their enemies and to protect their selves and their countries in war or battle. They used them as tactical barriers and area-denial weapons. The Chinese used these land mines in the battle with Sima Yi and his son Sima Zhao.
What was it made from then? It was made from metal and contained a firing mechanism, a main charge, a detonator or igniter, a booster charge and some casing.
Websites I used:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_mine
M is for Paper Money
by: Brenda-Lee Ross
Before people even had paper money, they traded bronze coins or gold coins, sometimes if they didn't want to use money for buying things they traded goods for other goods, or otherwise called bartering.
When paper money was first invented (between the end of the eighth and the beginning of the ninth century) they didn't call it paper money, but instead they called it 'flying money', because when people held "flying money" it could easily fly out of someone's hand, it might be because of the wind or from some other person. After they invented paper money they used it for buying stuff with. It made life easier for the Chinese people and other people around the world, because you didn't have to carry all those heavy coins, like; gold and silver.
They improved the original by making the paper money more complex to make. For example they made it more complex by making these kinds of paper that when you hold it up you can see through them there is a certain picture you can see, so it can help prevent counterfeiting. They also improved paper money by making new and they also made a more appropriate name.
People made Chinese paper money first, making paper, then they use these ink things to illustrate pictures of houses, people and other things to do with China. After, they put writing over it. Paper money was invented by Ts'ai Lun. Ts'ai Lun was an imperial court official, who was born in 50AD and died in the year 121.
References:
www.chinatoday.com/fin/mon
http://library.thinkquest.org/23062/mloney.htl
www.silk-road.com/artl/papermoney.shtml
www.gi-de.com
www.inventors.about.com/od/mstartinventions/a/money.htm
www.wikipedia.com
www.google.com.au
N
O
P is for All about Paper
by: Lindsey Skidmore
Who invented paper and how did he make it?
A person named Cai Lun invented papermaking from bark, hemp, rags, fishnet, wheat stalks and other materials. It was cheap;liget, thin, durable and more suitable for brush writing. This can be considered as the birth of paper as we know it today. After he died his son Ts'ai Lun took over his job on making paper.
What did they use before paper?
Before paper was invented, Qin Shihuangdi, the first emperor in Chinese history, had to go over 120 kilos of official documents written on bamboo or wooden strips. With the invention of paper, the popularization of knowledge had turned into reality. The invention of paper is a huge event in human history. In the eighth century, along the Silk Road, the Arab countries began to learn how to make paper. It took about 400 years for paper to move from the Arab world to Europe.
How did they make it?
Paper is made by grinding plant material into a pulp, forming it into thin sheets, and drying it in a form, This process was invented in AD 105 by Ts'ai Lun, a Chinese official and member of the Chinese Imperial Court About 2000 years ago he originally used the waste from silk production. Early Chinese paper was made from the bark of the mulberry tree and other plant fibers.
How did the Chinese use paper?
The most used Chinese invention is paper. Paper was invented in the second century BC and was used as clothing. One might not believe that paper could be used as clothing, but the paper made at that time used thicker and tougher paper fibers. Not only was paper used for clothing, it was also used for military body armor. The Chinese found out that pleated sheets of paper could stop the arrows. The paper armor was standard issue with Chinese land and sea units. Paper's writing property was not discovered till about one century after its discovery. The earliest example of writing on paper was found and abandon military post.
How did they improve it?
Chinese papermakers developed a number of specialties such as sized, coated and dyed paper, and paper protected against insects. But they had problems filling the growing demand for paper for the government. It was hard to get paper in those days.
www.enchantedlearning.com
www.worldstory.net
www.gi-de.com
www.travelchinaguide.com
www.britannica.com
www.chineseculture.about.com
www.\HistoryGreatChineseInventions.htm
www.CaiLun@Everything-2.com
http://www.chinesecultureonline.org/pat.jsp?catName=invention¢erName=paper.com
Q
R is for Chinese Rocket
by: Benjamin Peterson
The Chinese Rocket is very similar to the fire work, but the difference was large. The difference is while the firework was used for celebrations and happiness, the fire arrow was used in war and battles.
The first reported time of when rockets were used was in 994. In 1232 the Chinese were at war with the Mongols. The war was called the battle of Kai-Keng. The Chinese shot waves of what the Mongols called "arrows of flying fire." All these were was just a tube, blocked at one end, filled with gunpowder. The other end was left open. When the gunpowder was lit, the rapid burning of the powder made fire, smoke and gas that escaped out the open end and produced a thrust. The stick was used as an air-born rudder to keep it on a straight path. No one knows how destructive or deadly these arrows were but they did prove helpful.
Some stories say a man called Wan Hu, believed he could fly by strapping fire arrows to his chair. When the arrows were lit there was an explosion and he and his flying chair were blown to bits.
Bibliography
www.inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blrockethistory.html
www.spacetoday.or/China/ChinaHistory.html
www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_arrow.html
S is for Silk
by: John Hoyt
Silk came from the silk worm. The Chinese invented silk, silk was made for clothes, beds, rugs ECT. Silk was only made in China the Greek's had to trade solid gold bars for silk. 4000 years ago the Chinese legend said the first silk thread was discovered by a Chinese empress when a cocoon fell into her tea. S-ling-chi started experimenting on silk and invented silk weaving around 2400 B.C. The Chinese drop the silk worm cocoon into boiling water and the silk unwinds.
T
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X
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Z
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C is for Magnetic Compass
by: Nathan Taylor
Who: Wang Tchen Touo
Wang was a scholar who found a book about how lodestones attract metal objects. Based on this book he designed a compass. When he was done he found through trial that it always pointed south.
How is it made: A lodestone was placed on the end of a spoon like object, and the Chinese people found that it always pointed south. That meant that they could navigate the different directions by knowing where south is.
What is it used for: The Compass is used to navigate in areas where people can get lost say for instance; most sailors would probably use a compass to tell which way to point the ship so they can get to their destination.
How is it different from today: Over the years compasses have been redesigned and refined so that now it is much more accurate. Compasses that look very complicated. Compasses aren't used much today because of the massive increase in human technology.
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/compass
http://www.solarnavigator.net/compass.htm
http://www.google.com.au/
D
E
F is for Fireworks in China
by: Harris Sar'i
Fireworks are probably one of the most famous inventions the Chinese have ever made.
Fireworks were first made in China around 206 BC-AD 220. They produced a loud sound known in Chinese as "Bian pao" that was meant to frighten away evil spirits. In the Northern and Southern Dynasties in AD 420-581, firecrackers were used to make everything evil go away and to pray for happiness and prosperity. The Chinese also use fireworks on Chinese New Year because they believe fireworks will erase any bad spirits and memories from the past year.
The discovery of gunpowder and the invention of fireworks are all thanks to the Chinese. Taoist monks played with the basic components of gunpowder which are: Sulfur; potassium nitrate and carbon to create fireworks in their spare time. Eventually, the art and science of firework making developed into a profession of its own.
In ancient China, pyrotechnicians (firework makers) were well-respected for their knowledge and skill to put on fantastic and beautiful displays of light and sound.
Sources and Bibliography
Encarta Reference Library encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/fireworks
G is for Gunpowder in Ancient China
by: John Hickey
| Who created gunpowder? | Wei Buyang was believed to have invented gunpowder. He created gunpowder accidentally by getting a mixture of chemicals too close to a torch. Although people say Wei created gunpowder, it is believed he was helped by his friends. |
| Where did the inventor live? | Wei lived in North East China near the border of China and North Korea. He lived in a convenient place because all the ingredients he needed were there. He made gunpowder for the Emperor after perfecting the mixture. |
| When was it invented? | Gunpowder was believed made in China in the year 142 A.D. This invention was made in times the people didn't like the Emperor. There were more protests against the Emperors so it was a good invention for the Emperor to control the people. |
| What uses did it have? | The first use of gunpowder was to poison people if they were bad. The second use was to make firework missiles in wars. The next use was to make explosions to break through rocks and walls. The last use was for a weapon like a cannon to fight in wars. |
| How is it made? | Gunpowder is made by mixing charcoal, sulfur, and potassium nitrate at the right amounts. You can put water in it to stop the hazards of it exploding. You can also make it into small pellets and wait for it to dry. |
| How was gunpowder first made? | It was believed to be made by Wei trying to make poison for the people that were making protests and bad things for the Emperor. He tried many combos then he tried the one that made gunpowder. After that he got it too close to a torch and it burned and then the Emperor told him to perfect it to make gunpowder. |
H
I
J
K is for Kites in China
by: Yuuka Maeda
3.000 years ago the kite was first invented in China. The kite was invented by Mozi-Lu-Ban. The kite was easy to make because the materials were available.
Kites were made of sticks of bamboo and silk. Some people say kites might have been invented in Indonesia or Malaya at the same time they were kites made of leaves. Later it went to Japan and other countries Asia and North Africa. In Indonesia and Malaya, they made a paper kites.
Paper kites uses for message and help sign. Some of the paper kites have speaker and you can hear the music. The kite began to fly in Europe.
Websites that I used:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/kitehistory
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/arts/kites.htm
http://www.chinakites.com/
L is for Land Mines
of Ancient Chinaby Desne Smalberger
Who invented it? Some sources report that the 3rd century Prime Minister, Zhuge Liang of the Kingdom of Shu in China, invented a landmine type device in the third century. This report was made by Jiao Yu in his Fire-drake Manual in One Complete Volume (Huo Long Jing Quan Zhi), Which he wrote in 1412 AD (although the book was originally printed in the mid 14th century), and that Zhuge had used not only "fire weapons" but landmines in the Battle of Hulugu Valley against the forces of Sima Yi and his son Sima Zhao of the Wei Kingdom.
What did they use it for? They used land mines for destroying their enemies and to protect their selves and their countries in war or battle. They used them as tactical barriers and area-denial weapons. The Chinese used these land mines in the battle with Sima Yi and his son Sima Zhao.
What was it made from then? It was made from metal and contained a firing mechanism, a main charge, a detonator or igniter, a booster charge and some casing.
Websites I used:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_mine
M is for Paper Money
by: Brenda-Lee Ross
Before people even had paper money, they traded bronze coins or gold coins, sometimes if they didn't want to use money for buying things they traded goods for other goods, or otherwise called bartering.
When paper money was first invented (between the end of the eighth and the beginning of the ninth century) they didn't call it paper money, but instead they called it 'flying money', because when people held "flying money" it could easily fly out of someone's hand, it might be because of the wind or from some other person. After they invented paper money they used it for buying stuff with. It made life easier for the Chinese people and other people around the world, because you didn't have to carry all those heavy coins, like; gold and silver.
They improved the original by making the paper money more complex to make. For example they made it more complex by making these kinds of paper that when you hold it up you can see through them there is a certain picture you can see, so it can help prevent counterfeiting. They also improved paper money by making new and they also made a more appropriate name.
People made Chinese paper money first, making paper, then they use these ink things to illustrate pictures of houses, people and other things to do with China. After, they put writing over it. Paper money was invented by Ts'ai Lun. Ts'ai Lun was an imperial court official, who was born in 50AD and died in the year 121.
References:
www.chinatoday.com/fin/mon
http://library.thinkquest.org/23062/mloney.htl
www.silk-road.com/artl/papermoney.shtml
www.gi-de.com
www.inventors.about.com/od/mstartinventions/a/money.htm
www.wikipedia.com
www.google.com.au
N
O
P is for All about Paper
by: Lindsey Skidmore
Who invented paper and how did he make it?
A person named Cai Lun invented papermaking from bark, hemp, rags, fishnet, wheat stalks and other materials. It was cheap;liget, thin, durable and more suitable for brush writing. This can be considered as the birth of paper as we know it today. After he died his son Ts'ai Lun took over his job on making paper.
What did they use before paper?
Before paper was invented, Qin Shihuangdi, the first emperor in Chinese history, had to go over 120 kilos of official documents written on bamboo or wooden strips. With the invention of paper, the popularization of knowledge had turned into reality. The invention of paper is a huge event in human history. In the eighth century, along the Silk Road, the Arab countries began to learn how to make paper. It took about 400 years for paper to move from the Arab world to Europe.
How did they make it?
Paper is made by grinding plant material into a pulp, forming it into thin sheets, and drying it in a form, This process was invented in AD 105 by Ts'ai Lun, a Chinese official and member of the Chinese Imperial Court About 2000 years ago he originally used the waste from silk production. Early Chinese paper was made from the bark of the mulberry tree and other plant fibers.
How did the Chinese use paper?
The most used Chinese invention is paper. Paper was invented in the second century BC and was used as clothing. One might not believe that paper could be used as clothing, but the paper made at that time used thicker and tougher paper fibers. Not only was paper used for clothing, it was also used for military body armor. The Chinese found out that pleated sheets of paper could stop the arrows. The paper armor was standard issue with Chinese land and sea units. Paper's writing property was not discovered till about one century after its discovery. The earliest example of writing on paper was found and abandon military post.
How did they improve it?
Chinese papermakers developed a number of specialties such as sized, coated and dyed paper, and paper protected against insects. But they had problems filling the growing demand for paper for the government. It was hard to get paper in those days.
www.enchantedlearning.com
www.worldstory.net
www.gi-de.com
www.travelchinaguide.com
www.britannica.com
www.chineseculture.about.com
www.\HistoryGreatChineseInventions.htm
www.CaiLun@Everything-2.com
http://www.chinesecultureonline.org/pat.jsp?catName=invention¢erName=paper.com
Q
R is for Chinese Rocket
by: Benjamin Peterson
The Chinese Rocket is very similar to the fire work, but the difference was large. The difference is while the firework was used for celebrations and happiness, the fire arrow was used in war and battles.
The first reported time of when rockets were used was in 994. In 1232 the Chinese were at war with the Mongols. The war was called the battle of Kai-Keng. The Chinese shot waves of what the Mongols called "arrows of flying fire." All these were was just a tube, blocked at one end, filled with gunpowder. The other end was left open. When the gunpowder was lit, the rapid burning of the powder made fire, smoke and gas that escaped out the open end and produced a thrust. The stick was used as an air-born rudder to keep it on a straight path. No one knows how destructive or deadly these arrows were but they did prove helpful.
Some stories say a man called Wan Hu, believed he could fly by strapping fire arrows to his chair. When the arrows were lit there was an explosion and he and his flying chair were blown to bits.
Bibliography
www.inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blrockethistory.html
www.spacetoday.or/China/ChinaHistory.html
www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_arrow.html
S is for Silk
by: John Hoyt
Silk came from the silk worm. The Chinese invented silk, silk was made for clothes, beds, rugs ECT. Silk was only made in China the Greek's had to trade solid gold bars for silk. 4000 years ago the Chinese legend said the first silk thread was discovered by a Chinese empress when a cocoon fell into her tea. S-ling-chi started experimenting on silk and invented silk weaving around 2400 B.C. The Chinese drop the silk worm cocoon into boiling water and the silk unwinds.
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