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4,000
B.C. |
Ancient
Egyptians invented the first substance like paper as we know
it. Papyrus was a woven mat of reeds, pounded together into
a hard, thin sheet. The word "paper" actually comes
from the word "papyrus". Later on in history, the
Ancient Greeks used a kind of parchment made from animal skins
for the same purpose. |
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A.D.
105 |
Paper
as we know it was invented by Ts'ai Lun, a Chinese court official.
It is believed that Ts'ai mixed mulberry bark, hemp, and rags
with water, mashed it into a pulp, pressed out the liquid and
hung the thin mat to dry in the sun. Paper was born and this
humble mixture would set off one of mankind's greatest communication
revolutions. Literature and the arts flourished in China. |
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A.D.
610 |
Bhuddist
monks gradually spread the art to Japan. Papermaking became
an essential part of Japanese culture and was used for writing
material, fans, garments, dolls, and as an important component
of houses. The Japanese were also the first to use the technique
of block printing. |
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A.D.
751 |
Chinese
and Arab armies clash after decades of peaceful trading. The
Chinese are defeated and many are taken prisoner. Among the
prisoners are paper makers who attempt to bargain for their
freedom by teaching the Arabs the secrets of paper making. |
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A.D.
1009 |
It
took about 400 years for paper to traverse the Arab world to
Europe. The first paper mill in Europe was built by the Arabs
in Xativa, Spain. Paper making continued here under Moorish
rule until 1244 when European armies drove them out. Paper making
then began to gradually spread across Christian Europe. |
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A.D.
1250 |
Italy
becomes a major paper producer. The Italians vigorously produced
the material and exported large amounts of it, dominating the
European market for many years. |
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A.D.
1338 - 1470 |
French
monks begin producing paper for holy texts. France quickly adopts
this new technology and becomes a self-sufficient and competitive
paper producer. |
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A.D.
1411 |
The
first paper mill in Germany is converted from a flour mill with
assistance from the Italians. Germany greatly improved the craft
and made the finest papers available. In 1453 Johann Gutenberg
invented the movable type printing press. The printing press
was the next stage in the communication revolution. Previously,
books were owned only by monasteries, royalty, and scholars,
very few people could even read. For the first time, the impoverished
masses had access to books, and more importantly knowledge.
With the availability of books, literacy increased. As literacy
increased, the demand for books - and paper increased as well. |
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A.D. 1588 |
England
begins to make its own paper. |
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A.D.
1680 |
The
first paper mill in the new world is established by the Spanish
in Culhuacan, near the capital of Mexico. |
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A.D.
1690 |
A
German immigrant to North America named William Rittenhouse
founded the first paper mill in North America near Philadelphia.
This is also where the first American paper makers were trained. |
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A.D.
1719 |
Rene
Antoine Ferchault de Reaumur suggests that paper could be made
from wood in response to a critical shortage of paper making
materials. At the time all paper was made from old clothes and
rags. There were not enough rags to supply the ever increasing
demand for paper. Reaumur was inspired by observing wasps building
their nest. |
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A.D.
1798 |
Nicholas
Robert invented the paper making machine. His hand-cranked device
made paper on a continuous revolving screen. However he was
unsuccessful at finding investors. Hearing of Robert's invention
from a mutual acquaintance, the Fourdrinier brothers of England
create their own paper making machine. Although they did not
use their invention, paper making machines bear their name to
this day. |
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A.D.
1850 |
Friedrich
Gottlob Keller of Germany devises a method of making paper from
wood pulp. However the paper is of poor quality. |
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A.D. 1852 |
Hugh
Burgess, an Englishman, perfects the use of wood pulp by 'digesting'
the wood with chemicals. |
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A.D.
1867 |
C.B.
Tilghman, an American chemist, improved the process of making
paper from wood by using sulfites during the pulping process. |
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A.D.
1879 |
C.F.
Dahl, a Swede finally perfected the use of wood by adding yet
another chemical. His 'sulfate' method spread rapidly and reached
the United States in about 1907. |
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A.D.
1883 |
Charles
Stillwell invented a machine to make brown paper bags for groceries
in Philadelphia. Today more than 20 million paper bags are used
annually in supermarkets. Many of these are recycled into new
bags and boxes. |
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A.D.
1889 - 1900 |
Economical,
mass produced paper became a reality. Paper production doubled
to about 2.5 million tons per year. Newspapers, books, and magazines
flourished. Paper found its way into schools, replacing the
writing slate. |
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