Reading Notes 18

Exploration and Travel Compass Early Chinese compasses were made of a rock called lodestone, which, when floating, points north-south. The Chinese eventually replaced lodestone with steel needles.

Compass The compass still helps travelers navigate.

Exploration and Travel Canal Lock The canal lock allowed boats to pass from one level to another in a canal. The canal lock could raise boats 100 feet above sea level.

Canal Lock Canal locks are still used on modern canals like the Panama Canal.

Industry Movable Type Movable type uses a separate block for each character. Printers made characters out of clay, baked them, and then placed them in an iron frame.

Movable Type Until recently, all newspapers, books, and magazines were printed using movable type.

Industry Porcelain Porcelain is a form of pottery of great beauty that some historians think was developed in the first century C.E. Porcelain was mass- produced.

Porcelain Fine dishes are still called “china” after fine porcelain.

Military Technology Gunpowder The discovery of gunpowder made possible the development of powerful weapons. Gunpowder may have been discovered by accident by people looking for a way to extend life.

Gunpowder Gunpowder changed the way wars were conducted around the world.

Military Technology Rockets Rockets were first used in fireworks. The Chinese made a two- stage rocket, with the first stage carrying the weapon over the enemy and the second stage dropping arrows.

Rockets The rockets we use to explore space are based on the same principles as ancient Chinese rockets.

Everyday Objects Paper Money Paper money replaced coins. Paper money was printed with wood blocks using many colors on each bill.

Paper Money Paper money is the most common form of currency today.

Everyday Objects Mechanical Clock The mechanical clock had a wheel that made one revolution every 24 hours. Dripping water turned it. Every quarter hour drums would beat, and every hour a bell would chime so people knew what time it was.

Gunpowder Gunpowder changed the way wars were conducted around the world.

Exploration and Travel Gunpowder The discovery of gunpowder made possible the development of powerful weapons. Gunpowder may have been discovered by accident by people looking for a way to extend life.

Mechanical Clock Modern mechanical clocks are based on the same principles as early Chinese clocks.

Disease Prevention Smallpox The Chinese developed a way to inoculate people against smallpox. They made a powder from the scab of an infected person and inserted it into the nose of the person who wanted protection.

Smallpox We have vaccines for many diseases.

Additional Chinese Discoveries and Inventions paddlewheel boats playing cards watertight compartments segmental arch bridges papermaking woodblock printing steel production artillary shells catapults bombs rifles cannons flamethrowers disinfectants boiling to kill germs