Lecture 5: Chinese technologies and the European connection

Question 1

the chinese used the compass for

A) navigation

B) Search for food

C) Political reasons

D) religion

Answer 1

C - political reasons

Question 2

what is the oldest book that we know of?

Answer 2

The dimond sutra-movable type (chinese)

Question 3

Black powder was used for religious festivals in china. why?

Answer 3

• chasing away evil spirits
• if you make loud noises you will chase away spirits and such (i.e. make an explosion)

Question 4

the turks used ______ to fire at the walls of constantilople with their cannons

A) Dardanelle Guna

B) exilcier

C) rocks

D) boulders

Answer 4

A

Question 6

how did Pigs contribute to the fall of the eastern roman empire

Answer 6

• the cannon was invented in china
• this technology was transfered to the mongols when they captured the cannons and black powder
• this ends up in the hands of the turks
• Constantinople biggest walls in the world are brought down by these cannons
• therefore, the turks were able to capture the christian city of constantilople and end the empire

Question 7

Black powder in china was used for warfare against the mongols

Answer 7

False. They never used it for warfare

Question 8

how was Potassium Nitrate used by the Chinese?

Answer 8

this is what makes gunpowder

this enabled them to blow things up

marked the end of the eastern roman empire

Question 9

what are the 4 things needed to make a printing press?

Answer 9

• paper
• fast drying ink
• reusable type
• press

Question 10

briefly discuss the Knights, their issues, societal problems, the governments solution, and their impact to european thinking

Answer 10

• mostly from nobility
• armed men with nothing to do causing problems
• they were doing damage to cities and civilians
• their purpose was to convert pagans to christians
• Problem was that they couldnt be killed cuz they were part of higher class of society
• solution: ship them away as far as possible on a mission impossible where they would all die
  
  • they actually ended up winning in Jerusilem
  • brought back the arabic books as spoils of war
  • this is how the knowledge of the greeks made it back to europe

Question 11

given that Linen was a very difficult process to make in order to produce paper, what event helped with the production of linen and the increasing quantity of paper? why and how?

Answer 11

the black death

• underwear -> lots of things left behind and ppl began claiming things from the deceased
• linen underwear was turned into paper

Question 12

who invented the printing press?

Answer 12

Johannes Gutenberg

Question 13

what is regarded as the most beautiful book in history?

Answer 13

Gutenberg 42 line Bible

Question 14

Pig’s urine produced __ combined with their droppings makes

Answer 14

Ammonia

Potassium Nitrate

Question 15

List all the things that the chinese invented

Answer 15

• Compass
• Ships
• Black powder
• Rocketry
• exams
• First large cannons
• printed first books (white paper)
  
  • and many more things …

Question 16

what followed after the knights brought back the books from Jerusalem? How was society impacted and what did they request?

Answer 16

Thomas Aquinas translated the books with a twist

• he argued that the prime mover behind aristotle was GOD

this resulted in an enormous demand for these books BUT the monks who would translate them would be too slow

Question 17

How and why were exams used in china?

Answer 17

• used to obtain the brightest chinese people to work for the govrenment
• essays for 7 days straight
• the brightest mind that could cause change would be responsible for paperwork and taxation
• if asked to invent, it would be in control of the govrenment
• the gov used this to control the population and technology based on religion

Question 18

What crucial component did Gutenberg Invent that the chinese didnt

Answer 18

fast drying oil ink -> this was the key to printing

new alloy of lead and tin

Question 19

what is the “elixir of life”? Give its significance?

Answer 19

Black Powder

• If you mix it with water it will give you eternal life (chinese)

Question 20

what was Gutenberg’s primary motive for creating the printing press?

Answer 20

Since he knew that there was so much demand for copies of ancient greek texts, he wanted to make a printing press only so that he could get richer

Question 21

the arabs captured the library of alexandria and translated the books into arabic?

Answer 21

True

Question 22

why didnt the chinese use their technologies to the fullest extent?

Answer 22

Religion/world view

• different approach to change to the europeans
  
  • rapid change = imbalance
• their religion was all about having balance in life, when there was rapid change they were not able to have both forces inbalance

Question 23

along with the plow, why was the printing press one of the most important technological innovations in history

Answer 23

• the amount of books printed in 50 years went from 0 to 11 million
• the rediscovery of greek and roman knowledge -> lead to the development of science and new technologies
• social and political changes scientific revolution

Question 24

the creation of the printing press was the diffusion of chinese technologies and european creativeness

Answer 24

True

Question 25

the europeans used the chinese ____ to make balistic missiles

Answer 25

Rocket(s)