essay on social studies

Introduction -

Technology has had a massive change compared to ancient history. Such as papermaking, printing, gunpowder and the compass all have had a big impact in the Han dynasty from 206 B.C-220 A.D. The way how people are using technology isn’t how they used them back then. The kind of materials they had back then was all they had so they had to use what was there. Ancient China went to hand made technology to automatic robots. 

In China, they have four great inventions. The compass is one of the earliest tools in the world and was invented during the Han dynasty. This navigational tool was used with a copper spoon and lodestone that can move freely. Many airplanes and ships are still using today’s compass for navigational purposes. Today's compass comes in many different shapes and sizes, pocket-size or gyro. The compass allows where to direct even if something is in the way. 

In china’s history, gunpowder is called ¨Huo Yao¨” meaning flaming medicine. Unlike paper, printing, and  gunpowder were accidental. Alchemists were playing around with chemicals and materials when they mixed sulfur, saltpeter, and charcoal. The benefits of gunpowder were for entertainment. Mainly cultural events required gunpowder. Also, many events were created from gunpowder. The huge improvement of the invention of gunpowder helped build a better society for China. Today's gunpowder firearms are limited primarily to hunting, target shooting, and bulletless. 

The first people to invent paper were the Chinese as it was made from the bark of the mulberry tree. They would be broken down into and bashed into a thin sheet. As they knew more about making it, they soon used materials such as hemp rags and fishnets and swaying it around in the water until they got a clump. China's ancient paper was rarely used for maps or to send a message to the other villages. Now, paper had many uses such as toilet paper, packaging, wallpaper, books. 

The earliest form of Chinese printing relied on blocks cut from wood. They would carve out the shape, or written text in the block and copy it onto paper or cloth. Today’s technology lets you print anything from a device to the printing machine. 

In conclusion one of the oldest and largest countries in the world, has provided us with different inventions that have changed the way of mankind. Their inventions have impacted us greatly from the inventions of paper, printing ,gunpowder and the compass with many more still to come.