Gifts and the Chinese Inventors

It’s holiday time and our minds turn to gift-giving. Every civilization has bestowed gifts on the world, but medieval China was downright magnificent. Thanks to trade along the Silk Road, four crucial inventions shaped medieval Europe and the Americas.

The Han dynasty invented paper.
Without this, medieval monks in Europe could never have copied their manuscripts.

The Sui dynasty invented gunpowder, which could blast a hole in a castle.
So gunpowder eventually caused the collapse of feudalism.

The Tang dynasty invented wood-block printing.
Without this, Europe would never have experienced the Renaissance & Reformation.

The Ming dynasty invented the magnetic compass.
Without this, Europe would never have experienced the Age of Exploration.
And Columbus would never have landed in the Americas!

Are you teaching the Middle Ages?
FREE lesson “The great Chinese inventors!”.

Chinese Inventions

Four Chinese inventions changed the history of Europe!
If you've ever read a book, flown a kite, ooohed and aaahed at a fireworks display, or eaten spaghetti, you've experienced just a few of China’s amazing inventions.
Just imagine how the Italian merchant Marco Polo felt when he visited China in 1271, and discovered that the Chinese were far more technologically advanced than anywhere in Western Europe.
Discover for yourself how four Chinese inventions changed the history of Europe . . . and the Americas.
Free lesson “The Four Great Inventions of China!”