When I read salt on the cover I thought NaCl. (I have chemistry drilled in to my head). I thought why would salt go along with world history? I didn't realize that salt played such a major role in china's history. I thought of China just having a large population. I realize now that they are capable of being more than that.
I found that Chinese were pretty intelligent people. They stumbled on to natural gas and when they realized in wasn't from the underworld they put it to use. We've been learning about the powerful Romans and the golden age of Athens. The Chinese on the other had expanded much farther than the Romans and they were also at an economic, trade, and prosperity high point.
The first monopoly was over salt. Iron was also apart of the big monopoly. It ended and 600 years later returned. Well, talk about a resurrecting the economy. Half the revenue from the Chinese state was from salt. They seemed to rely on salt. The good thing is, at least , well so far, they haven't run out.
1 comment:
Sorry about your Chemistry trauma. That will heal in time.
Like most kids, you are not alone in wondering how or why Salt played a big role in history. Mr. K does a pretty good job explaining how and why that is so.
Natural gas as demons was funny, but yes, they did put it to good use. The amount of inventions the Chinese made was pretty impressive. Salt played an important role for some.
The Chinese saw its uses for pickling veges, and taxing it for make $$$
A bit longer perhaps?
Mr. Farrell
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