Listen & Learn: History of Paper

Learn how writing surfaces have developed over time

Pre-listening vocabulary

• courtier: someone who works at a royal court
• scribe: someone who writes down information
• pulp: a clump of material
• Silk Road: a historical route across Europe and Asia where people traded items and information
• parchment: a sheet of animal skin used for writing
• refined: elegant, dignified
• press: a machine that can print words
• literacy: the ability to read

Listening activity

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Gapfill exercise

In ancient times, people carved words on stone. The earliest paper-like material was papyrus, which ancient Egyptians made from the stems of the papyrus . However, the paper-making process began in China around 100 AD. A courtier named Ts’ai Lun mashed rags, bark, and old fishing nets into a pulp. He used to hold the pulp together and let it dry into a sheet. Before, Chinese scribes had written on woven fabric. Ts’ai Lun’s process made it easier to copy and spread information. Paper spread first to Korea and Japan, and then to the Middle East through the Silk Road. The Islamic Caliphate brought paper to Morocco and Spain in the 11th century. Europe took a while to start using paper. Roman officials thought parchment was more refined. However, the invention of the Gutenberg press changed this. Paper was to make than parchment, which made it better for mass printing. As production of paper increased around the world, so did literacy.

Comprehension questions

See answers below

1. The ancient Egyptians wrote on
   a. paper
   b. papyrus
   c. parchment
   
2. Ts’ai Lun’s paper was made of rags, bark, and
   a. animal skin
   b. papyrus stems
   c. old fishing nets
   
3. In the 11th century, paper came to Morocco and Spain with
   a. the Roman Empire
   b. the Islamic Caliphate
   c. the Mongol Empire

Discussion/essay questions

1. Some historians believe that the most powerful society during each period in history was often the one with the most access to paper. Do you think this is true? Why or why not?
2. Over the last few decades, information has been moving online. Do you think paper will continue to be important in the future? Why or why not?

Transcript

In ancient times, people carved words on stone. The earliest paper-like material was papyrus, which ancient Egyptians made from the stems of the papyrus plant. However, the basic paper-making process began in China around 100 CE. A courtier named Ts’ai Lun mashed rags, bark, and old fishing nets into a pulp. He used water to hold the pulp together and let it dry into a sheet. Before, Chinese scribes had written on woven fabric. Ts’ai Lun’s process made it easier to copy books and spread information. Paper spread first to Korea and Japan, and then to the Middle East through the Silk Road. The Islamic Caliphate brought paper to Morocco and Spain in the 11th century. Europe took a while to start using paper. Roman officials thought parchment was more refined. However, the invention of the Gutenberg press changed this. Paper was cheaper to make than parchment, which made it better for mass printing. As production of paper increased around the world, so did literacy.

Answers to comprehension questions

1b 2c 3b