Paper

Paper is something we use every day. We write on it, draw on it, and print books with it. Paper is made from tiny fibers that come from wood or plants. It was invented in China a very long time ago and changed how people share ideas.

How Paper Is Made

To make paper, wood is broken into tiny pieces and mixed with water to make a mushy pulp. The pulp is spread out on a flat screen and the water drains away. What is left dries into a thin sheet. The sheet is pressed smooth and cut into pages.

The Story of Paper

Paper was invented in China around the year 105 by a man named Cai Lun. Before paper, people wrote on stone, clay, leaves, or animal skins. Paper slowly spread to other countries along the Silk Road. It helped books, maps, and newspapers become common everywhere.

Fun Facts

• Most paper today is made from trees grown on special farms.
• Paper can be recycled and made into new paper over and over.
• The biggest paper airplane flight was more than 200 feet long.

Did You Know?

For hundreds of years, Chinese papermakers kept their methods a secret from the rest of the world.