Medieval Inventions
The inventor of most of these inventions is unknown.
Nautical Inventions
Compass Compasses were used for finding direction on the surface of the Earth. Inventors in both Europe and China discovered the compass independently. When a piece of lodestone on a log floating in water pointed to the North Pole, people immediately found out that an iron or steel needle rubbed on lodestone would have the same affect. The compass greatly improved sea bound trade and enabled sailors to find their way in fog or in storms.
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A Copper Compass |
Farming Inventions
Horse Collar Horse Collar greatly improved farming efficiently. One of the most important medieval inventions, it did not choke horses as they ran. This increased mostly trade since horses could run faster without lacking oxygen. Since plows were horse powered, horses could run faster and longer without getting tired; this increased production. Trade also increased due to the fact horses could run faster and longer distances without stopping to catch their breath.
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A Horse Collar |
HorseshoesA U-shaped piece of metal that protected horses hooves as they walked on hard and rough surfaces. Its nice for the horses because it feels almost no pain on its hooves. Its easy to secure the horse shoe because you just nail it onto the hooves. This invention increased farming productions allowing horses to run longer without getting injured. The horse shoe is also one of the greatest staple crafts of all time.
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Horse Getting Horseshoes put on |
Middle Ages Weaponry
Gunpowder Hand canons were one of the first portable gunpowder weapons. Hand Canons were used in Europe and China before the 1300s. Arabs had these weapons after 1300 and the Turks and Indians had these weapons in the 1400s. These weapons consisted of a barrel with some type of handle. The canon would be held in two hands while someone else applied ignition like gunpowder, smoldering wood, coal, red-iron rods, etc. Due to the poor quality of the powder and the weapon it’s self. These weapons were very ineffective, not even being able to punch through light amour. But, Hand canons led to firearms that would later change warfare forever!
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LongbowA bow roughly equals the height of the person shooting it. Users usually draw the bow to their jaw, then release sailing the arrow to its target. Traditional bows were made of a single piece of wood. Longbows have been used for thousands of years. England's longbow provided lots power (900 newtons). The arrows could pierce armor making them very efficient.
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Men Using a Longbow |
Timekeeping Inventions
Others
Printing PressJohannes Gutenberg invented the printing press. This invention was used with both paper and movable type, which were both invented in China. He used the printing press to print the Gutenberg Bible in 1455. The printing press he invented was an upgraded medieval screw press modeled after the wine and olive of the Mediterranean area. A movable type was arranged and put in place over a flat wooden plat, which was called the lower platen. Ink was then applied Ink was then applied to the type. Next a sheet a sheet was laid on top. In order to operate this machine you turn the heavy wooden screw and put the presser against the lower platen. The upper and lower platens press the paper applying ink. This printing press could produce sharp images, and print 250 sheets per hour.
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Printing Press |
How these Inventions Affect us Today
These inventions have evolved into modern day technologies such as the following. The compass led to the GPS allowing us to reach destinations without getting lost. Compasses have been very important for navigation on land in the air and overseas. Both the horse shoe and the horse collar improved trade and farming creating less farmers which means a more advanced civilization. Longbows and gunpowder could pierce though armor. Longbows have later been out of favor due to gunpowder weapons. Gunpowder turned into fire arms and canons; canons could blast though castle walls ending the age of castles. Clocks were very important in keeping time and they are still used today. The printing was one of the most important medieval inventions, since it monks now no longer had to copy bibles. The printing press brought education to the masses, since children were learning how to read with out the expensive price.
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Works Citied
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Inventions in the Middle Ages. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2013. <http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/inventions-in-the-middle-ages.htm>.
Medieval Weapons & Armour. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2013. <http://www.medievalwarfare.info/weapons.htm>.
Monkey Trees. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2013. <http://www.monkeytree.org/silkroad/gunpowder/china3.html>.
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