Awesome Old Stuff
Used 3.3 million years ago, these were the very first tools that people used.
Stone Tools
This invention from around 3200 BCE let people write down stories and keep track of important things.
Writing
This new metal was used to make stronger tools and weapons around 3000 BCE, starting a new age.
Bronze Age
In the 11th century, sailors started using this to find their way and not get lost at sea.
Compass
Around 1 million years ago, people learned to control this to stay warm and cook food.
Fire
In the 1440s, Johannes Gutenberg invented this machine that could make lots of copies of books very fast.
Printing Press
After the Bronze Age, people learned how to make even stronger tools from this metal around 1200 BCE.
Iron Age
Created in the 13th century, these helped people who had trouble seeing to read books.
Eyeglasses
This big change around 10,000 BCE meant people started growing their own food instead of just finding it.
Agriculture/Farming
Dating back to the 13th century, this invention made it possible to keep track of time with great accuracy.
Clock
This important tool from around 500 BCE made it easier for farmers to grow food by turning the soil.
Iron Plow
In 1783, the Montgolfier brothers made the first successful trip in this flying machine.
Hot Air Balloon
Invented around 3500 BCE, this invention made it much easier to move things and build machines.
Wheel
Samuel Morse created this in 1837, making it possible to send messages over a long distance using electricity.
Telegraph
This invention by Alessandro Volta in 1800 gave us a way to store and use electricity.
Electric Battery
This invention from the 1800s, created by Richard Trevithick, was a train that ran on steam power.
Steam Locomotive/Train
People began using these around 3000 BCE to sail across the water for exploring and trading.
Sailing Ships
Created by Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit in 1714, this tool was a new way to measure how hot or cold something is.
Mercury Themometer
Sir Humphry Davy invented this in 1815 to make it safer for people to work in coal mines.
Safety Lamp
A special tool from the 15th century, sailors used this to figure out how far north or south they were when at sea.
Mariner's Astrolabe