Kid Facts!
Tuesday, February 4, 1997
A new book by Suzanne Williams called ‘Made in China’
takes a look at ancient China and how it has affected
our world today with the inventions of the past.
Compass that came to pass
The compass as we know it today did not get its start with seafaring vessels as you might expect. The Chinese invented the first compass in order to find the best locations for buildings and grave sites. The compasses were made from magnetic stones fashioned in the shape of fish or spoons and only pointed south instead of north like those of today.
Chinese sail into history
The early Chinese sailors invented movable sails that allowed the ship to be sailed into the wind. They also built walls into the ship that helped the ship stay afloat if the boat hit rocks. These walls, called bulkheads, sealed off compartments in case of leakage. Another improvement to the sailing vessel by the Chinese is the rudder. The rudder allows steering of the ship and is still in wide use today.
The crossbow
The crossbow was the assault weapon of the ancient Chinese world. It was guarded as a military secret. There was a law in 200 B.C. that disallowed the weapon to be taken out of the city. It was invented by a man named Qin from Chu to control warring feudal lords. Crossbows were also used for shooting ropes across canyons as the first step in building a suspension bridge.
Source: "Made in China" by Suzanne Williams
Geografacties is a weekly Kids Only feature of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
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