Republic of the Philippines

CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY

Don Severino delas Alas Campus
Indang, Cavite

GNED 06 Lecture 2: Historical Antecedents of the World Transcript

Slide 1: Title Page

Good day students! Hope you are all doing great today. It’s me again, ______. And
today we have a new topic to talk about – the historical antecedents of the world. Before we
start, let me ask you – what do you think is the meaning of historical antecedents? What do
you think is the meaning of historical antecedents of the world pertaining to STS? Kindly
pause this audio and give yourself three minutes to answer the question. Here, we focus on
the term “antecedent,” which means an event or condition that happened before something.
We will be looking at the condition of science, technology, and the society throughout
history. So sit back, relax, and don’t you dare fall asleep!
Next slide.

Slide 2: The Human Condition Before Common Era

From the previous lecture, we’ve learned that technology doesn’t always spring from
science. Having said this, it is safe to say that technological advancements arose earlier
than scientific discoveries (do you all agree?). And these technological advancements will
not be possible without early humans who have the skills or even instinct to create. The
prehistoric period or when there was human life before records documented human activity
roughly dates from 2.5 million years ago to 1,200 B.C. It is generally categorized in three
archaeological periods: the stone age, bronze age, and iron age.
Next slide.

Slide 3: The Human Condition Before Common Era

As for how the quote from the previous slide goes, “the primal need to survive
paved way for the invention of several developments.” It is the instinct of early humans
to survive that allowed them to create several types of technologies. They have fire for
cooking, tools for hunting, and even used stones for cave drawings that record their daily life
and activities or illustrate what they observe in nature. It is true that it is difficult to exactly
pinpoint where technology is said to have started, but we consider the discovery of
harnessing fire from chipping stones that marked the advent of technology. They were
able to do this without knowledge of the laws of heat and friction, amazing right? I hope now
we can confidently disregard the general notion that technology is merely the application of
science.
Next slide please.
Slide 4: Stone Age
Now, we will look into the different archaeological periods mentioned earlier. First is
the stone age. This era is marked by the invention and use of stone tools by our early
human ancestors and the eventual transformation of the society from a culture of hunting
and gathering to farming and food production. This period is practically difficult for our
ancestors. Why do you think so? It is because resources are not abundant, and they are
also living in the midst of wild animals making them easy targets/prey. We know relatively
little about this era because there are limited to no written accounts (of course) of the human
activities that occurred here. Only cave drawings, unearthed artifacts (such as stone tools,
bone tools) are available for us to study leaving us with little capacity to contemplate. The
stone age is divided into three separate periods – Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic period –
based on the degree of sophistication in the fashioning and use of these stone tools.
Next slide please.

Slide 5: Paleolithic period

Let us look into the Paleolithic period (or Old Stone period). Paleo means old and -
lithic came from lithos meaning stone. Throughout the Paleolithic, humans were food
gatherers/hunters, depending on hunting wild animals and birds, fishing, and collecting wild
fruits, nuts, and berries. They are nomads with no permanent shelters. The record of this
long interval is very incomplete; it can be studied from imperishable objects made of flint,
stone, bone, and antler. These alone have withstood the ravages of time, and, together with
the remains of animals hunted by our prehistoric ancestors, they are all that scholars have to
guide them in attempting to reconstruct human activity throughout this period.
There are notable tools and ornaments created by our forerunners during this old
stone period. First, we have the “Venus”, a carving of a voluptuous woman out of ivory of
stone. It is not definite as to what this carving means to the early humans, but historians infer
that this is an ancient representation of beauty while for some, a penchant for fertility. Fur
clothing were also made from the fur of the animals they hunted. They also invented pit
houses, temporary shelters that they can bring with them and reassemble to a new location
(due to their lifestyle). Likewise, personal ornaments and crude (not polished) hunting
tools made of stone were invented during this time.
Next slide please.

Slide 6: Mesolithic Period

This period marked the end of the last Ice Age, which resulted in the extinction of
many large mammals (like mammoths, seen on the slide) and rising sea levels and climate
change that eventually caused man to migrate. Humans used small stone tools (microliths),
now also more polished and sometimes crafted with points and attached to antlers, bone or
wood to serve as spears and arrows. This tool was also used for digging the ground and
stitching clothes. They often lived nomadically in camps near rivers and other bodies of
water. Agriculture was introduced during this time, which led to more permanent settlements
in villages.
Next slide please.
Slide 7: Neolithic Period
Finally, during the Neolithic period, ancient humans switched from hunter/gatherer
mode to agriculture and food production. They domesticated animals and cultivated
cereal grains. They used polished hand axes for ploughing and tilling the land and started to
settle in the plains. Advancements were made not only in tools but also in farming, home
construction, and art, including pottery, sewing and weaving.
Next slide.

Slide 8: Bronze Age

We are now done with the stone age, and here comes a new age. During the Bronze
Age, advances in metalworking were made, as bronze, a copper and tin alloy, was
discovered. Bronze is made up of 88% copper and 12% tin. Metals are obtained from ores
(a naturally occurring solid material from which a metal or valuable mineral can be extracted)
through smelting (see image for reference). Now used for weapons and tools, the harder
metal bronze replaced its stone predecessors and helped spark innovations, including the
ox-drawn plow (you may want to look this tool up to see how it looks) and the wheel.
Organized government, law and warfare, as well as beginnings of religion, also came
into play during the Bronze Age. And since we mentioned religion, it was during this time that
ancient Egyptians built their pyramids to honor their dead pharaohs. Likewise, the earliest
written accounts, including Egyptian hieroglyphs and petroglyphs (rock engravings), are also
dated to this age.
Next slide.

Slide 9: Iron Age

Let’s move on to the Iron Age. Iron was first smelted from ore in South Caucasus (a
region presently occupied by Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan). Smelting iron, a metal
harder than copper and tin, requires a more intensive process and with the development of
better smelting pits (equipment for smelting) that the ability to produce higher temperatures
paved the way to the extraction of iron from ores. At this time, iron was seen as more
precious than gold! Better (more sturdy and reliable) agricultural tools were produced in this
age making agriculture a lot easier than the previous period.
Agriculture, art, and religion all became more sophisticated, and writing systems and
written documentation, including alphabets, began to emerge, ushering in the early historical
period.
Next slide.

Slide 10: Middle Ages

Let’s now talk about the middle ages. It is also known as the medieval period and
has started with the fall of the Roman Empire and has lasted for 1,000 years until 1450. The
beginning of the Middle Ages is called the Dark Ages because the great civilizations of
Rome and Greece had been conquered.
 Life in Europe was very hard in the Middle Ages. Very few people could read or write.
Their lack of knowledge often led to superstitious beliefs. The people thought that fate ruled
their existence; therefore, there was little hope for the improvement of their condition. During
the years of the Roman Empire, the poor people were protected by the emperor’s soldiers.
When the empire fell, there were no laws to protect them, so they turned to the lords to keep
the peace and to act on their behalf. This willingness to be ruled by the lords led to the
beginnings of feudalism (see image). Some peasants were free, but most became serfs to
a lord. This meant they were bound to the lord’s land and paid very high rent to the lord. The
peasants work the lands of their lords and are obliged to give their lords homage, labor, and
a share of the produce in exchange for military protection.
While it is considered as “dark ages” by some, there are still inventions that were
used and produced during this era. Will you kindly pause the audio and think of possible
tools used during these times?
Next slide please.

Slide 11: Middle Ages

Here are some of the most notable inventions by Europeans in these times: horse
collar that pulls on horse’s shoulders to enable it to plough and carry wagons, watermill that
rotates and generate electricity from that movement, magnetic compass that provides
direction to European mariners/conquistadors and of course the clock. These new
inventions drove economic growth in the region. How so? I will be asking you this in our
zoom meet up. Prepare!
Next slide please.

Slide 12: China: Middle Ages

While there was a decline in the economy and overall progress in the European
region, different countries in Asia flourished during this era. One of them is China. A lot of
useful inventions were made by medieval Chinese during these times. One is the
seismoscope, an early type of seismograph that determine the presence and direction of an
earthquake. Likewise, Chinese paper making started in 140 BC but was officially used in
writing at a later time (105 AD). The early uses of this paper were for clothing, wall décor,
artworks, and even in toilets (so the Chinese may have been the first ones to clean
themselves with toilet paper after you-know-what haha). Next, we have the magnetic
compass. The first compasses were made of iodestone, a magnetized stone of iron, in Han
dynasty. The spoon in the photo shows the direction, and it is often used in divination (a
ritual to see and understand the future) during the Han dynasty. And last, we have the
cannon that is used as weapons for military activities.
Next slide.

Slide 13: China: Middle Ages

The list of inventions by the Chinese doesn’t end there. So it is appropriate to say,
“wait, there’s more!.” You have the acupuncture that utilizes needles for medical therapy,
first movable type printing made from pottery was developed, gun powder that was
followed by vigorous development of explosive weapon about three centuries before it
appeared in Europe, wheel barrow to carry heavy loads and wagons to carry heavy loads
as well as carry royalties around when they need to travel.
Now, let’s take a look at gunpowder. What are your thoughts on the development of
gunpowder? Do you think having weapons is beneficial to a nation? Moreso, do you think
owning nuclear weapons is necessary to keep a country free from invasion or even threats?
I will ask your thoughts on this in our zoom meeting.
Next slide.

Slide 14: India: Middle Ages

India also made notable inventions that are still beneficial until this present day. They
were the ones to divide a year in 12 months. They were also the ones to develop
metallurgy (science of smelting). The Ayurveda or Ayurvedic medicine was also
developed during this time in India which is based on the belief that health and wellness
depend on a delicate balance between mind, body, and spirit. Its main goal is not to fight
diseases but to promote good health. With the Indians’ great minds, they were also able to
develop the concepts square root and linear equation (Now you know where to put the
blame if you had hard time with these in high school).
So we are done with exploring the different discoveries during the Middle ages. The
Middle Ages, according to historians, ended after a European explored and colonized the
Americas. Let’s look at the next slide.

Slide 15: Pre-Columbian America

Christopher Columbus, an Italian master navigator, completed four voyages across
the Atlantic Ocean that opened the way for European exploration, exploitation, and
colonization of the Americas. So is it correct to say that Columbus “discovered” the
Americas? No! Because long before he invaded the region, there were flourishing
civilizations essential for us to note and discuss. These are the Maya, Aztec, and Inca.
These civilizations thrived not in the present day New York or in Texas but in the
Mesoamerican region or Middle America which now extends from central Mexico down
through Central America including the territory which is now made up of the countries
Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador.

Slide 16: Maya

The Mayans excelled at agriculture, pottery, hieroglyph writing, calendar-making, and
mathematics, and left behind an astonishing amount of impressive architecture and symbolic
artwork. They made pyramids made out of limestone as a display of their architectural
prowess. Also, another notable fact about Mayans is that they used cocoa beans as
monetary units. And lastly, the most notable of these inventions is the Mayan solar
calendar that sparked intrigue and even fear some 8 years ago (2012). But note that neither
the Mayans nor their calendar ever predicted the end of the world. Only those who do not
understand Mayan culture and ancient knowledge allowed for this doomsday myth to spread
by sharing false claims that the end of the Mayan calendar will also mean the end of the
world. In short, fake news everybody!
Next slide.

Slide 17: Aztec

Another civilization is the Aztec. They recorded astronomical observations in stone
sculptures. They practiced farming by slash and burn, meaning that they clear forested
lands by cutting trees and plants and burning the remaining vegetation to create a land for
agriculture. Now, let me ask you, is this sustainable? Also, one peculiar ritual of the Aztecs is
the human sacrifice. They used razor-sharp obsidian blades and sliced open the chests of
the sacrificial humans and offered their still beating hearts to their gods. Luckily, now we
have human rights. And in this pressing times, we need to uphold it and protect our rights by
all means.
Next slide please.

Slide 18: Inca

Good thing that Incas do not perform human sacrifices, unlike the previous
civilization. And contrary to the Aztecs’ lash and burn technique, the Incas utilized more
advanced farming method, which is terraces farming just like what the Igorots did in
Benguet. The animals you see there are llamas and alpacas from which they made their
clothes by removing these animals’ fluffy wool.
Next slide please.

Slide 19: Scientific Revolution

Now let’s proceed to the scientific revolution. Scientific revolution is the name given
to this period of drastic change in scientific thought that took place during the 16th and 17th
centuries. It replaced the Greek view of nature (more on philosophical rather than empirical)
that had dominated science for almost 2,000 years ago. It is characterized by an emphasis
on abstract reasoning, quantitative thought, an understanding of how nature works, the view
of nature as a machine, and the development of an experimental scientific method.
Also, the use of the printing machine, paved the way for the faster spread of new
ideas and discoveries. Scientists and scholars publish their works in order to spark interest
and even challenge contemporary ideologies at their time. This fast method of
communication sped up the scientific interest of people. And I hope we all can take
something from this occurrence, that sharing the findings or even usable products from our
researches will definitely benefit the communities and even the entire country.

Slide 20: Scientific Revolution

Look at the figure. How do you interpret this? Scientific revolution is very significant in
the development of human, formulation of scientific ideas, and transformation of the society.
When humans produce scientific ideas, it benefits the society and in turn, will definitely
benefit individual humans in the society and the cycle goes on. Just take a good look around
you and be grateful of the things that arose from the advancement of science.

Slide 21: Scientific Revolution

The 3 Cs when merged are the characteristics of a scientist influencing the ideas,
discoveries, and technologies developed and produced. We can all agree with this – our
science and technology will only be as good as our scientists and skilled people. So, I hope
you have these 3 Cs, creativity, curiosity, and critical thinking. But don’t worry, your
exams here in STS will require these three, for sure!

Slide 22: Some Intellectuals and Their Revolutionary Ideas

Let’s have a little activity here. Kindly pause this audio and try your best to match the
scientists’ names with their appropriate photos. You may pair the letters and numbers.
Answers to this are A1, B2, C3, D4, and E5. Moving forward, let’s talk about these notable
persons in the field of science.

Slide 23: Nicolaus Copernicus

Look at the image. Which do you think is the correct model of our solar system? Of
course, you know the answer. But earlier, geocentrism, a model in which Earth was
considered the center of the universe, was the one generally believed to be true. It was
proposed by Ptolemy of Alexandria. Nicolaus Copernicus proposed heliocentrism in which
sun is the center of the universe rather than the earth. It was later on proven to be true with
the invention of telescopes.

Slide 24: Johannes Kepler

The law of planetary motion only states that all planets revolve around the sun in an
elliptical and not circular orbits. We do not need to dwell on it that much; you just need to be
familiarized with it. And the same goes for the next theories to be discussed.

Slide 25: Isaac Newton

I bet you are all familiar with the three laws of motion, is that right? We have the law
of inertia, acceleration, and interaction. Which law states that for every action, there is an
equal and opposite reaction? Which law states that an object at rest/in motion will remain at
rest/in motion unless acted upon by a force? And lastly, which law states that acceleration is
produced when a force acts on a mass? Very good, kids! I am just assuming you are
answering.

Slide 26: Charles Darwin

 Charles Darwin is famous for his theory of evolution in which he wrote a full account
of in his book entitled “On the Origin of Species.” This theory states that diverse groups of
animals evolve from one or a few common ancestors. Now, another question. Did we evolve
from apes? Is that how evolution works? Definitely not! Evolution only tells us that we are
related to apes, but we did not directly evolve from them, or reciprocally, an ape cannot turn
into a human being.

Slide 27: Sigmund Freud

Sigmund Freud’s theory of personality revolved around the three components of the
mind, namely the id, ego, and superego. The id is made up of the unconscious psychic
energy that works to satisfy basic urges, needs, and desires. The superego is composed of
people’s internalized ideals (what is right and what is wrong) acquired from parents and
society and works to suppress the impulsive urges. Lastly, the ego mediates the demands of
the id, superego, and reality.
We are done with scientific revolution; we will now proceed to another period.

Slide 28: Industrial Revolution

The industrial revolution marked a period of development in the latter period of the
18th century that transformed largely rural, agrarian societies in Europe and America into
industrialized, urban ones. This era is the time when the manufacture of goods moved from
small shops and homes to large factories. This brought about changes in culture as people
moved from rural areas to big cities in order to work. This revolution started in the Great
Britain. So my question is, why? How did this nation able to shift from agrarian to
industrialized?
Will you kindly pause the video and try to think about what are these machines,
techniques in textiles, and iron making developed during this revolution? If you are not
familiar, we highly recommend you to do some research about the inventions and scientists
during this period. We will be asking these questions during or after the lecture during our
class.

Slide 29: What is Information?

Before we proceed with the next period let us first define what information is.
Information is knowledge obtained from investigation, study, or instruction.

Slide 30: Gutenberg Revolution

The first European to successfully use movable type printing was Johannes
Gutenberg. The books printed using these presses in the beginning of the Gutenberg era
are called incunabula (cradle or birthplace). The first book of any note to be printed with
movable type printer was Gutenberg’s bible, published in 1456. Copies are still in existence
up to this date. With this type of printer, the passing of information was made easier
compared to when this printing press is still not available. But as we all know, we have now
transitioned to the digital age. Let’s proceed to the next slide.
Slide 31: Post-Gutenberg Revolution
This revolution’s hallmark was the use of computers, internet, and other information
technologies such as the world wide web. Now, we are able to upload and download any
material about anything under the sun with ease and convenience. Therefore, the passing of
information is easier compared to the previous ones (e.g. via printing machines). But as we
all know, these technologies have great potential both to benefit and to harm the societies
that embrace them.

Slide 32: Information Age

The information age began around the 1970s and is still going on today. It is also
known as the computer age, digital age, or new media age. This era brought about a time
period in which people could access information and knowledge easily. This brought about
changes in the society from traditionally industrialized to one reliant on information
computerization.

Slide 33: Rise of the Digital Age

The modern computer was born out of the urgent necessity after the second world
war to face the challenge of Nazism through innovation. But the first iteration of the computer
as we now understand it came much earlier when, in the 1830s, an inventor named Charles
Babbage designed a device called the analytical engine.
It was a general-purpose device that could compute many different problems. It was
to be digital, automatic, mechanical, and controlled by variable programs. In short, it would
solve any calculation you wished. It would be the first computer.
Kids, this ends our lecture 2. I hope you learned a lot since this was really a lot. Just
a reminder, do not forget to answer your seatworks and assignments we gave you. Thank
you for listening!