Bank notes, books, and precise navigation tools have become part of many people's daily lives. However, they do not realize that these everyday objects have not always existed. Not to mention that they all appeared in the same region, around the same time, and spread along similar paths. The sailor's compass, printing, paper money, and several types of paper were all developed and used during the Tang dynasty and had a great impact on China. Knowledge of these creations was spread by groups of people and animals along the Silk Road, sub-Saharan trade routes, and the Indian Ocean. The Tang Dynasty period was a high point in Chinese history. This period lasted from 618 to 907 AD (Strayer 243). It succeeds the Sui dynasty and precedes the Song dynasty (243). The era of the Tang and Song dynasties has been described as a "golden age" of arts and literature (244). Furthermore, the economic and agricultural achievements of the Tang and Song dynasties caused China's population to explode (244). These dynasties also established a governmental structure that was used for many decades (244). Not to mention that industrial production increased and China became heavily commercialized during the Tang and Song dynasties (245-246). Many people also moved to cities, so China became highly urbanized (244). The successes of the Tang Dynasty were the result of the discoveries made at that time, and some of these discoveries involved different types of paper. According to Dr. Keith Ray, paper is one of China's four great inventions. Paper is made by spreading a mixture of organic fibers and draining the water (Lienhard). Papyrus was invented in Egypt around 2200 BC, but the Chinese created the modern version of paper around 105 AD (Ray). The ...... middle of paper ......n H. "No. 894 Inventing printing." The engines of our ingenuity. Houston Public Media. 1993. Radio. Transcription.Source #14Shaw, Ron. Great inventors and inventions. Np: Curriculum Corporation, 2003. Google Books. Google. Internet. December 8, 2013. .Source #15Gardner, Angela. “Emergence of East Asia around 1200.” Cypress Creek High School, Orlando. Nov.-Dec. 2013. Conference. Source #16Gardner, Angela. “Inner Asia, 600-1200”. Cypress Creek High School, Orlando. Nov.-Dec. 2013. Conference. Source #17Pickering, John. “The History of Paper Money in China.” Journal of the American Oriental Society 1.2 (1844): 136-42. JSTOR. Internet. December 8. 2013. .