MODULE 1

HISTORICAL ANTECEDENTS

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the module, you should be able to:

1. define science and technology;

2. describe the contributions of Filipino and foreign scientist to the
improvement of the quality of human life;
3. trace the historical development of science throughout human kind;
4. discuss the relationship between S&T and society throughout history;
and
5. determine how scientific and technological developments affect society
and the environment.

Introduction

Clothes, food and appliances at your home are things that prove how
science and technology affect our day to day life. This module can provide a
vehicle for enhancing student's interest in science and conceptual
understanding about the historical development of science and interaction
between Science and Technology as well as how technological developments
affect society.

This module contains two lessons. These are:

Lesson 1 – Definition of Science

Lesson 2 – Historical Antecedents

Lesson 1: Definition of Science

Many things which you never thought could exist now abound around you.
For example, over a hundred years ago, people thought that it would be
impossible to go outer space or make an airplane. As people’s scientific
knowledge increased, this machine became reality. Nowadays we have
fast-moving airplanes and jets that move faster than the speed of sound.

Let’s Learn
 What is science?

□ Science is a systematized body of knowledge covering general truths and

facts. Facts are obtained through observation and experimentation.

□ Science: knowledge acquired by careful observation, by deduction (logic

reasons to form a conclusion) of the laws which govern changes and
condition and by testing theses deduction by experimentation.

Steps of the Scientific Method

1. Observation
2. Identifying the problems
3. Formulate a hypothesis
4. Test the hypothesis through experiment
5. Make the conclusion; and
6. Verify the conclusion

BRANCHES OFSCIENCE:

1. Natural Science
-seeks to understand the natural world and different processes
a) Physical Science (Chemistry, Physics, Earth…)
b) Biological Science (Zoology, Botany, Anatomy…)

2. Social Science

– study of people, culture, societies (Economics, Geography,

History, …)

WHAT DOES SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY MEAN?

Science, Technology and Society (STS) deals about how social, political, and
cultural values affect scientific research and technological innovation and these
in turn affect society, politics and culture.
Technology: deals with knowledge set into practical use to solve problem or to
produce useful tools.

The word technology is mostly used in three different contexts:

1. when referring to a tool;

2. a technique
3. Cultural force

Society

-group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large

social group sharing the same social territory.

Let’s Remember

● Technology is applied science

● Technology has helped improve people’s lives over the years.
However, there also downside of technology that can harm
environment and people.

Summing-up
● Science is a systematized body of knowledge covering general
truths while technology is applied science.
● . Steps of Scientific Methods:

1. Observation
2. Identifying the problems
3. Formulate a hypothesis
4. Test the hypothesis through experiment
5. Make the conclusion; and
6. Verify the conclusion

What Have You Learned?

Give what is asked for each of the following items

1. Discuss how scientists gather data and how they come up with scientific
conclusions.

2. Give at least two technological innovations. How do these inventions

make life easier or comfortable for us?

3. How is science used in technology?

4. Give situational example where the steps in scientific method can be

applied. Discuss each step.
 Lesson 2: Historical

Perspective Let’s Learn

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN SOCIETY: HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

● Stone Age
● Copper and Bronze Age
● Iron Age
● Ancient Civilization
● Medieval and Modern Technology
● Renaissance
● Industrial Revolution
● Nineteenth Century
● Twentieth Century
● Twenty First Century

STONE AGE

□ Humans used old-fashioned tools 2.5 million years

□ Stoned age last
□ The Stone Age has three distinct periods.
1. The Paleolithic age which is described as an age of hunting and
gathering.
2. The Mesolithic period , permanent settlement and development in
agriculture started.
3. The Neolithic period is known by the domestication of plants and animals
□ Technological development during this period
1. Fire 3. weapons
2. Stone 4. clothing

COPPER AND BRONZE AGE

□ The Bronze Age started from 3300 to 1200BCE and is defined by the use
of copper.
□ The first people to enter the Bronze Age is the Ancient Sumerians in the
Middle East.

□ Humans made many technological advances during the Bronze Age,

including the first writing systems and the invention of the wheel.

IRON AGE

□ Started between 1200B.C to 600 BC

□ People over Europe, Asia and Parts of Africa started to make tools and
weapons from iron.
□ Bronze is replaced by iron which much cheaper and stronger

ANCIENT CIVILIZATION

□ Ancient history as a term refers to the past events from the birth of
writing and extending as far as the post-classical history

The 10 Oldest Ancient Civilizations That Have Ever Existed

1. The Mesopotamian Civilization

2. The Indus Valley Civilization
3. The Ancient Egyptian Civilization
4.The Maya Civilization
5. The Chinese Civilization
6. The Greek Civilization
7. The Persian Civilization
8. The Roman Civilization
9. The Aztec Civilization
10. The Incan Civilization

MEDIEVAL AGE

□ Birth of an idea
□ the rise of Islam
 RENAISSANCE

□ Rebirth of classical learning and wisdom

□ Age of exploration

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

□ Development of the steam engine., metallurgy and areas of textile

manufacturing.

NINETEENTH CENTURY

□ birth of science as a profession

□ development of chemical, electrical, petroleum and steel technologies
associated with highly structured technology research.

TWENTIETH CENTURY

□ Sensational growth of technology.

TWENTY FIRST CENTURY

□ Rapid progress in almost all fields of science and technology.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE PHILIPPINES

Historical Background

I. The Early inhabitants of the archipelago had their own culture and
traditions.
□ Own belief system and indigenous knowledge
 □ Keeps them organized and sustained their lives and
communities for many years

II. PRE-SPANISH ERA (5000 – 1 521 BC)

Embedded the way of life

□ THERAPEUTIC PROPERTIES PLANTS and METHODS of

EXTRACTING
□ ALPHABET
□ WEIGHING MEASUREMENT
□ CALENDAR
□ FARMING, FISHING
□ SHIP BUILDING

III. SPANISH COLONIAL ERA (1521 – 1891)

Brought their own culture and practices

□ FORMAL EDUCATION
□ PARISH SCHOOL (religion, reading, writing, arithmetic, and
music)
□ MODERN AGRICULTURE

□ STUDY OF MEDICINE
□ BUILDING CHURCHES,ROADS, BRIDGES, and PORTS

IV. American Period

□ Public Education System

□ Advanced engineering works and health of the people
□ Mineral resources where exposed and exploited

V. World war II

The country had a difficult time to rebuild itself from ruins of the war
 VI. New Republic

□ Concentrating on using its limited resources in improving Science

and Technology
□ Use of overseas development allocation to improve scientific
productivity and technological capability
□ Human resource Development

Some of the National Scientists have contributed to different fields of

science.

1. Fe Del Mundo in the field of Pediatrics

2. Eduardo Quisumbing in the field of Plant Taxonomy
3. Gavino Trono in the field of Tropical Marine Phycology
4. Maria Orosa in the field of Food and Technology.

Summing Up

● Historical Perspective of Science, Technology and Society is divided into

10 periods, they are:

1. Stone Age
2. Copper and Bronze Age
3. Iron Age
4. Ancient Civilization
5. Medieval and Modern Technology
6. Renaissance
7. Industrial Revolution
8. Nineteenth Century
9. Twentieth Century
10. Twenty First Century

● Historical Background of Science and Technology in the Philippines

1. Early inhabitants
2. Pre-Spanish era
3. Spanish Era
4. American Period
5. World War II
6. New republic
 ● Listed also some of the Filipino scientist who have contribution in different
field of science

1. Fe del Mundo
2. Eduardo Quisumbing
3. GavinoTrono
4. Maria Orosa

Assessment

What Have You Learned?

Matching Type

Direction: Match Column A with Column B. Write your answer before the
number.

Column Column
A B

F 1. o purel huntin an A. Ancient Sumerians

f y g d
Age
gatheri
ng.
G 2. Rebirth of classical learning and B. 21st Century
wisdom after a long period of
cultural rebuff and stagnation

C 3. Developments in the areas of C. Industrial Revolution

textile manufacturing, metallurgy
and transport driven by the
development of the steam engine.

E 4.Distinguished by the D. Medieval Age

domestication of plants and
animals.
D 5. Birth of an idea E. Neolithic

A 6. First people to enter the Bronze F. Paleolithic

Age
 B 7. Rapid progress in almost all G. Renaissance
fields
of science and technology.
I 8. A group of individuals H. Science
participating
social interaction and sharing
the same social territory.
H 9. Knowledge acquired by careful I.Society
observation, by deduction
(logicreasons to form a conclusion)
of the laws which govern changes
and condition and by testing
theses deduction by
experimentation.
J 10. science or knowledge put into J.Technology
practical use to solve problems or
invent useful tools.

B. Answer the following:

1. Enumerate at least three advancements in science and technology during

each of the following periods.

Ancient times  Traditional Chinese Medicine

 Acupuncture
 Herbal medicine
Medieval Age  Invention of vertical windmills
 Mechanical clock
 Water mills

Industria  Spinning jenny

l  Spinning mule
Revoluti  Power loom
on
Twenty  3D printing
 E – cigarettes
First Century  Smartphone apps
2. Describe each of the three ages based on tool development and societal
characteristics.
Stone Age – Beyond weapons and basic necessities, Stone age people
invented new technology for farming particularly in the Neolithic Age when
they become a more setted people. One of the most important inventions was
Irrigation canals, which helped them water and grow crops en masse.
Bronze Age - This change allowed for a population increase since farming and
hunting become more efficient and could support more people.
Iron Age – The best tools and weapon were made from steel particularly
carbon
alloys. Stell weapon and tools were nearly the same weight as those of bronze,
but much stronger.
 Reflection

Write an essay about the relationship of Science, Technology and Society based
from the diagram shown below.

SCIENCE

TECHNOLOGY SOCIETY

Assignment

Make a timeline of events or a fact chart about the historical antecedents in

Science.
 References

Abastillas, V.N.(2006).STS (Science, Technology and Society).ACLC Trading

Enterprises, UP Campus, Diliman, Quezon City

Adams,H (1983) “ African Observers of the Universe: The Sirus Question. Blacks
in Science: Ancient and Modern

Caoili, O.C.(n.d.) A History of Science and Technology in the

Philippines Johnson, A.W. and

Earl, T. (2000).The Evolution of Human Societies. From foraging group to

agrarian state, second edition. Stanford University Press.

Lawson, R.M.(2004) Science in the Ancient World: An Encyclopedia pp. 29-30

Oxford English Reference Dictionary (2002) Meso-America. Oxford,
United Kingdom: Oxford University Press p 906

Pettitt,P. and White, M.(2013) John Lubbock, caves, and the development of
Middle and Upper Paleotithic archaeology. The Royal
Society.DOI:10.1098/rsnr.2013.0050

Shea, W.(n.d) Galileo’s Intellectual Revolution. McMillan. USA

Wawro, G(2008)Historical Atlas: A Comprehensive History of the Worlds.

Elanora Heights, NSW Australia: Millennium House

Woods,G(1988) Science in Egypt

Zey,M(2001).International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Sciences Direct

Websites

http://wwwflowofhistory.com/units
www.internationalschoolhistory.net