The ancient Egyptians wrote on a. paper b. papyrus c. parchment
Ts’ai Lun’s paper was made of rags, bark, and a. animal skin b. papyrus stems c. old fishing nets
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
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?
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.
Fortune cookies were likely invented by a. American immigrants to Japan b. Chinese immigrants to the US c. Japanese immigrants to the US
Makoto Hagiwara was a. a candy maker b. a tea garden caretaker c. a religious leader
During World War II, many American Japanese restaurants went out of business because a. it was becoming too expensive to keep the restaurants open b. Chinese restaurants were more popular with American diners c. the US government forced thousands of Japanese Americans into internment camps
Discussion/essay questions
A belief in fortunes and lucky numbers is an example of a superstition. Superstitions are beliefs that certain actions or events will bring good or bad luck. Most cultures have their own superstitions. Do you believe in any superstitions? Do you know anyone who is very superstitious?
Transcript
Fortune cookies are a popular dessert served in Chinese restaurants across North America. But they actually don’t come from China at all. Fortune cookies were likely invented by early Japanese immigrants to the US. The fortune cookie recipe is similar to a type of Japanese cracker called senbei. In the early 1900s, a man named Makoto Hagiwara worked as the caretaker of the Japanese Tea Garden in California. He had the idea to put “thank you” notes inside senbei crackers. During World War II, the US government forced over 100,000 Japanese Americans into internment camps. This put many Japanese restaurants out of business. However, Chinese cuisine was still popular in American cities. American diners liked to have dessert with meals, so Chinese restaurants served fortune cookies to make customers happy. Today’s fortune cookies usually contain a small note with a piece of advice and a set of lucky numbers.
Throughout history, writing was independently invented a. once b. twice c. three times
The first known writing system came from a. the Chinese b. the Maya c. the Sumerians
The Sumerian writing system began as a. flat pictographs b. clay tokens c. abstract symbols
Discussion/essay questions
Chinese characters are the oldest writing system still in use. Why do you think they have survived so long?
English uses the Latin alphabet. What writing system does your first language use? Where did it evolve from?
Transcript
Throughout history, at least three cultures have independently invented written language. Ancient writing systems can be traced to the Mesopotamian, Chinese, and Maya civilizations. The first known writing system originated in Sumer, a Mesopotamian civilization in modern-day Iraq. The Sumerians used clay tokens to track their food supply. They carved small pictures into the tokens to represent an amount of animals or grain. Around 3500 BCE, scribes began to arrange these pictographs into more detailed messages. Written messages were useful for sending trade information over long distances. Over time, the symbols used by Sumerian scribes became more abstract. They evolved into a complex writing system, called “cuneiform,” which many languages used for thousands of years.
The earliest parts of the Great Wall were made of a. brick b. wood c. soil
The original purpose of the wall was to a. defend the country from invaders b. provide paths to trade goods with other countries c. allow people to hike through the landscape
The parts of the wall that are now recognizable were built during a. the Qin dynasty b. the Ming dynasty c. the Qing dynasty
Discussion/essay questions
Is there an important landmark in your city or country? What makes it significant?
Transcript
The Great Wall of China is the longest man-made structure in the world. It took almost 2000 years to build. The earliest sections of the wall were built during the Qin dynasty, around 200 B.C.E. They were made of soil and stone. Their original purpose was to defend the country from invading northern tribes. Most of this early wall has eroded over time. Hundreds of years later, the emperors of the Ming dynasty reinforced the wall by building sections out of bricks. These parts of the wall, built in the 15th century, are the most recognizable today. Construction of the Great Wall ended in the 17th century. Today, it is one of the most famous landmarks in the world.
The Silk Road was a. a landmark b. a military route c. a trade network
The use of the Silk Road began during a. the Black Death pandemic b. the Han Dynasty in China c. the rise of the Ottoman Empire
Merchants stopped using the Silk Road during a. the 14th century b. the 15th century c. the 16th century
Discussion/essay questions
How has the spread of ideas changed since the Silk Road? What are some of the effects of information being widely available?
Transcript
The Silk Road was an ancient trade network that allowed people to transport goods across Eurasia. It gained its name because silk was one of the most popular commodities traded on its routes. Merchants who travelled along the Silk Road also traded horses, spices, tea, weapons, and gunpowder. However, people didn’t only trade goods on the Silk Road. The travelling between countries caused the spread of religion, including Christianity and Buddhism. Journeys along the Silk Road also may have caused the spread of the Black Death. The use of the Silk Road began during the Han Dynasty in China, and continued until the mid-15th century. By then, the Ottoman Empire was making it difficult to travel from Europe to Asia, which caused explorers to look for different routes through the sea.
Why do you think that military strategies can be applied to so many different situations?
Transcript
The Art of War is an ancient text attributed to a Chinese general named Sun Tzu. It is made up of 13 chapters that provide strategies for success in warfare. The book was most likely written between 500 and 200 B.C. However, historians know very little about Sun Tzu’s life. Some historians don’t think he existed at all, believing that the book’s advice may have been gathered from many generations of Chinese military strategists. Throughout history, many leaders have been influenced by Sun Tzu’s ideas. Although the book was originally meant to advise leaders in warfare, people use its strategies even today to succeed in business and politics.
How has our access to information changed in recent years? How do you think it will continue to change in the future?
Transcript
Printing has shaped the world in many ways. The first printed texts date back to 6th century China, when monks printed messages using carved wood and ink. In the 11th century, a Chinese inventor named Bi Sheng created a moveable type press, which made it easier to quickly copy texts. However, Bi Sheng’s invention did not become immediately popular. This was because it was difficult to include enough Chinese characters to communicate every kind of message. Around 300 years later, German inventor Johannes Gutenberg developed a printing press for European languages. The Gutenberg press revolutionized written information in Europe. It made books, news, and religious texts accessible to everyone. This spread of information also prompted many more technological advancements throughout history.
