Summary Lecture Notes:
Historical Antecedents in the Course of Science, Technology and Society
ANCIENT TIMES
An ancient civilization is a topic that helps students have a better understanding of the
world. ... By understanding the progression, it will improve their understanding of the
world and the people who live in it. Ancient civilizations provide insight into why and how
history has unfolded and become as it is.
In the ancient times, people were concerned with transportation and navigation,
communication and record-keeping, security and protection, as well as health and
architecture.
Transportation during this time was very important because people were trying to go
places to discover new perspectives, they traveled to search for a better place for their
settlement and to find food.
Communication was also very essential to these people's effort to discover and occupy
new places. They needed means to communicate with natives of the areas they passed
by to facilitate trade and possible conflicts. It was also very important to them to keep
records of their history and culture so they could establish their identity as they relate
with other cultures and civilizations.
As time passed by, the size and number of nations increased to which it implies the
increase also in the demand of the basic needs of the people. And because of that
resources became scarcer and the people struggled thus they needed technology to
help them increase food supplies and other survival needs. Weapons and armors were
also very important to establish new alliances with other tribes.
A very great problem they faced was the conservation of life; they might have been able
to succeed in taking control of the rich resources that the world could provide. Along
with these difficulties, the ancient people tried to incorporate their needs for better
transportation, created structures for protection of human attacks and natural calamities,
and built up larger and stronger structures known today in the field of engineering.
With these developments people ventured to other fields of activities that ushered them
a way to prolong their lives by means of mass food production and improvement of
medical technology. It also elevates the quality of life by these people by making difficult
and complicated tasks easier.
With the understanding of the above, one can conclude that, out of necessity, people of
the ancient times were able to invent things that have a great influence and direct effect
on the lives of the modern people. That the advancement of science and technology
today are the results of the work and activities of our ancestors, the ancient people.
The next topics are the different major technological advancement and achievements
during the ancient times by the early civilizations and their contributions in science and
technology.
⮚ Sumerian Civilization - Sumer was an ancient civilization founded in the
Mesopotamia region of the Fertile Crescent situated between the Tigris and
Euphrates rivers. Known for their high degree of cooperation, and governance.
Sumerian Invention and Contribution to Civilization
1. Cuneiform - first form of writing
2. Uruk City – Considered to be the first city in the world. A true engineering
feat because of how it was built, the city was made by mud or clay mixed
with reeds producing sunbaked bricks.
3. Great Ziggurat of Ur – another engineering and architectural feat.
Constructed in the same manner as that of Uruk, it served as the sacred
place of their chief god.
4. Irrigation/Dikes and Farming implements – To bring water to farm lands
and at the same time to protect them from floods.
5. Plow – A farm technology used to cultivate the land for farming by digging
the soil where the seeds would be planted.
6. Sailboats – invented to help them carry large quantities of products and to
discover faraway lands for settlement since their populations were
growing.
7. Wheel – the first wheel was invented not for transportation but for farming
activities and mass food production, with this invention the farmers were
able to mill grains faster and with less effort.
⮚ Babylonian Civilization - was a state in ancient Mesopotamia. The city
of Babylon, whose ruins are located in present-day Iraq, was founded more than
4,000 years ago as a small port town on the Euphrates River. It grew into one of
the largest cities of the ancient world under the rule of Hammurabi.
Babylonian Inventions and Contributions to Civilization
1. The First Map - An ancient Babylonian cartographer created the world’s
first map on a clay tablet in 2300 BC. The map covers a small region of
Babylonia during the Akkadian Empire. It shows trade routes and was
used as a reference during military campaigns, hunting, and exploration.
The Babylonian Map of the World is circular and depicts mountains, rivers,
canals, and swamps.
2. Astrology and Horoscope - In ancient Babylon, it was thought that the
celestial bodies had divine powers which directed people’s lives.
Constellations were used to determine the weather, climate, and the
seasons, and to help people decide which crops should be sown when.
The moon, the stars, and the sun were studied to predict future events like
thunder or an eclipse. Ancient Babylonian astronomists closely studied the
sun and the moon cycles in order to predict this.
3. Hanging Gardens of Babylon – Though there was no physical evidence of
this structure, it was said that the structure was made up of layers and
layers of gardens, and believed that the garden was built by king
Nebuchadnezzar II for his wife Queen Amytis. Though it lacked
documentation and archeological evidence, on the other hand if it really
existed, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon may be considered as one of
the greatest engineering and architectural achievements of the world that
is impossible to replicate.
4. The Concept of Time – Babylonians devised a system of dividing time into
60 sections. The number 60 was chosen as the dividing factor as it was
divisible by 6. The Babylonians estimated that the earth moved around the
sun one degree in a day and took 360 days. This number was again
divisible by 6. Astrologers used the sexagesimal system of numbering
which took 60 as its base. They noted the frequency and duration of the
full moon and saw that this was also divisible by 6.
⮚ Egyptian Civilization - Ancient Egypt was a civilization of ancient North Africa,
concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River. Many stories tell about
the engineering feats of the Egyptian, especially regarding the infrastractures
established by the pharaohs, they also contributed many practical things that the
world now consider essential.
Inventions and contributions of Egyptian Civilization
1. Paper or Papyrus - It was made from the pith of the papyrus plant.
2. Ink – it is a combination of soot with different chemicals to produce inks.
3. Hieroglyphics – system of writings using symbols. This form of writing can still
be seen today and remains to be famous as the pyramids. This tells the
modern world of the history and culture of the ancient Egyptians.
4. Cosmetics – made by mixing soot or malachite with mineral galena and
named Kohl. Egyptians invented cosmetics for health and aesthetic reasons.
5. They wore Kohl around their eyes to prevent and even cure eye diseases.
And they also believed that a person wearing makeup was protected from evil
and beauty was a sign of holiness.
6. Wig – They invented wigs for health and wellness, rather than for aesthetic
reasons. The wigs were used to protect the shaved heads of the wealthy
Egyptians from harmful rays of the sun.
⮚ Greek Civilization – Greece is an archipelago in the southern part of Europe.
Known as the birthplace of western philosophy. The Greek civilization has
contributed much to the world especially in the fields of science and technology.
Inventions and contributions of Egyptian Civilization
1. Alarm clock – One of the most utilized gadgets today. The alarm clock of the
Egyptians does not resemble that of the alarm clock today but it has the same
purpose, to tell people when to start and when to stop. The ancient Greek made
use of water that dropped into drums which sounded the alarm.
2. Water mill – Water mill was also considered to be one of the important
contributions of the Greek civilization to the world. Specifically in agriculture, like
milling grains which were an important form of food during that time and because
of this invention production of foods like rice, cereals and flours became very
common.
3. Cartography - is the study and practice of making maps. It has played an
important role in travel and navigation since ancient times. Even though the
earliest known evidence of cartography points towards ancient Babylon as early
as the ninth century BC, the Greeks took what they had at their disposal and
brought cartography into a new light.
4. Modern Philosophy - Before the age of ancient Greece, the world did not see
philosophy as we see it today. It was more shrouded in superstition and magic
than it ever would be. For instance, the Egyptians believed that if the Nile rose
and flooded, making the soil dark and fertile, their pharaoh had commanded it.
But the Greeks approached philosophy from a different direction. They
developed philosophy as a way of understanding the world around them, without
resorting to religion, myth, or magic.
5. Concept of Democracy - The idea of every citizen having equal opportunity and a
say in government constitutes the concept of democracy. It is one of the most
widely used styles of governance in the modern world. And even more
fascinating is the fact that democracy also had its origins in ancient Greece. In
fact, the concept and the implementation of democracy can be traced back from
the present day to ancient Athens.
⮚ Roman Civilization – The Roman Empire was recognized to be the strongest
political and social entity in the west. Perceived to be the cradle of politics and
governance during that period. Because their empire was so large other
civilizations looked up to them as their model in terms of legislation and codified
laws.
Inventions and contributions of the Roman Empire
1. Newspaper – the first newspapers were known as gazettes, it contained
announcements of the Roman empire of the people. Because of this
invention, the Romans enjoyed easy access to government information the
same way we benefit from present-day newspapers.
2. Bound Books or Codex – With the inventions of paper, it became easier for
civilizations to write down everything that happened in their time. As a result
civilizations became fond of record-keeping, especially documenting historical
events and newly legislated law.
3. Roman Architecture – large churches, (cathedrals and basilicas), coliseums,
aqueducts, amphitheaters, and even residential houses.
⮚ CHINESE CIVILIZATION – The Chinese civilization is considered to be the
oldest civilization in Asia, China is located on the far east of Asia. Despite its less
popular status among the early civilization, one cannot discredit the significant
contributions of Chinese civilization in the world.
Inventions and Contributions of the Chinese Civilization
1. Silk – produced naturally by silkworms, the Chinese were the ones who
developed the technology to harvest the silk and process it to produce paper and
clothing. Silk production opened China to the outside world, making way for
cultural, economic and scientific exchanges.
2. Tea production –Tea is a beverage produced by pouring hot or boiling water over
crushed leaves and dried tea leaves.
3. Great Wall of China-the only man-made structure that could be seen from outer
space. Made with stone, brick, wood and earth.
4. Gunpowder – it is one of the most interesting inventions in China. It was
developed by Chinese alchemists who aimed to achieve immortality. They mixed
charcoal, sulfur and potassium nitrate, but instead of creating an elixir of life, they
accidentally invented a black powder that could actually generate large amounts
of heat and gas in an instant. Ironically, instead of prolonging life, gunpowder is
widely used to propel
MEDIEVAL PERIOD
The start of the middle ages was marred by massive invasions and migrations.
Wars were prevalent during this time. As such great technology was needed in the fields
of weaponry, navigation, mass food and farm production, and health. The wars have
resulted in population decline, but during the latter part of the period, there was a
significant rise in population. which resulted in greater demands for transportation and
technology. Some of the innovative minds came from this period. Microscope and
telescope were the greatest inventions of this period.
MODERN PERIOD
The booming world population during the 19Th century onwards demanded that
more goods be produced at a faster rate. People needed efficient means of
transportation to trade more goods and cover a larger distance. Machines that required
animals to operate must be upgraded. Faster and easier means to communicate and
compute should be developed to establish connections among other nations. All these
needs resulted in the development of industrialization, and modern times again faced
more complicated problems. Food processing and medicine posed some of the bigger
challenges since health was of great concern.
Pasteurization, Petroleum Refinery, Telephone Calculator were the greatest
inventions of this period.
