The Han Dynasty

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Paper is one of the simple items that is taken for granted in the modern world. From paper money to magazines, and textbooks, it is a fundamental part of life today. This invention has been around for thousands of years, and its beginnings were part of a complex process to create it. The origin of paper dates back to 105 AD in ancient China during the Han Dynasty. The invention of paper had a tremendous impact within China, and subsequently Europe during the Renaissance, due to its ability to spread ideas and information to large amounts of people over great distances.

After years of strenuous times during fall of the Ch’in Dynasty, a commoner, Liu Bang, triumphed over rivals and led the Han Dynasty lasting from 202 BC to 220 AD. The Han dynasty …show more content…

(Myers) Before the creation of paper, people in Ancient China wrote on stone, silk, wood and bamboo. Most commonly, books were written on silk which was a major export in China at the time. Subsequently, paper was invented and became a much more suitable solution. Paper was much cheaper, so books became more readily available to the public and easier to get a hand of. Paper also greatly influenced Chinese government. Prior to the invention, all government documents had been carved on strips of wood. Paper was much more convenient to use to keep records, and as a result, Chinese bureaucracy expanded. As a result, education greatly expanded in China. Books were now easy to get so the ability to spread and share knowledge. Paper had a very strong impact on its civilization by helping it become stronger in many ways including improving its education and government. (Beck …show more content…

Paper was being used to help spread ideas. (Beck 471) Thoughts that were recorded on manuscripts began to be studied by scholars to assist in creating a new outlook on life, called humanism. Humanism was a system of thought based on human ideas and potential. Some of the greatest pieces of writing have been written during this time. (Beck 472) During the Elizabethan age, with the help of paper, William Shakespeare created his famous plays. (Beck 483) In 1452, Johann Gutenberg combined public knowledge from Europe and Asia to create the printing press. This created the ability to quickly produce books without handwriting them. (Beck 484) The invention of paper greatly influenced the time of the Renaissance by providing a way to quickly spread ideas. Printing helped by making information more available while being inexpensive to produce largely and the greater availability of books created an increased desire for learning and a rise in literacy through Europe. This helped spread education which significantly improved their civilization. The invention of paper not only had a strong impact on its civilization but many others including ones from the Renaissance. (Beck

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