HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS OF

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

 The historical developments of S&T are
marked by the struggle to address the
demands peculiar to each period

CONFUSEDT

It started even before any form of But then, technology advances when
documentation can ever be found, the related understanding and
and extends to current time! technologies are made available

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

Life is about seeking for means that can
make it more comfortable and
meaningful

It is a constant struggle for more efficient way

of addressing current needs

Each discovery hopes to be a leap

towards this goal

Technology invented answers the little requirements that people

have on a daily basis

But humans are

insatiable, so each
answered need
creates a new one

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

To think about:

•How do you regard science and

technology in the present time?

•How does it feel to have a gadget in

this gadget dependent society?
 In society, being in possession of the latest
gadget has become a social status or a symbol
of prosperity

Caters to their sophisticated and gadget-

dependent lifestyle, and to have
something to be identified with

Life is equated to gadgets nowadays

In the past, need determines the invention of technology

Now, it is the new inventions that create needs that would

demand for newer inventions

Ex. Earphone plugs for

iPhone 8+ doesn’t
accept earphone jacks

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

 Technology in Pre-historic
Times
PREHISTORY:
DEFINITION: LONG TIME PERIOD
BEFORE WRITING
WAS INVENTED

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

Life in prehistoric period is characterized by survival and high
dependence on what nature can provide

They depend on nature to survive:

Hunting, food from trees etc, mostly by
using their hands to solve their concerns

But then they realized they need more

efficient way for food gathering and hunting

And so they started using stones for

general purposes

Which is why this period

is called as Stone Age

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

 THE STONE AGE CAN BE DIVIDED INTO TWO
ERAS
1) PALEOLITHIC AGE (Paleos = old; lithos =
stone)
2) NEOLITHIC AGE (Neo = new; lithos =
stone)

(1) PALEOLITHIC AGE:

DEFINITION: THE OLD STONE AGE
PALEO- OLD
LITHIC- STONE AGE
-IT LASTED FROM ABOUT 2.5 MILLION TO 8000 BCE
-ARRIVAL OF HOMINIDS ABOUT 1.6 MILLION YEARS AGO
DEFINITION: SPECIES OF CREATURES THAT WALK UPRIGHT

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

 Paleolithic Age
DURING THE PALEOLITHIC AGE, PREHISTORIC
PEOPLE WERE NOMADS
DEFINITION: PEOPLE THAT MOVED
FROM PLACE TO PLACE IN SEARCH OF BASIC
SURVIVAL NEEDS (FOOD, WATER, SHELTER)

-ALSO KNOWN AS HUNTERS-GATHERERS

-DURING THE PALEOLITHIC ERA, EARLY

HUMANS WOULD MIGRATE FROM AFRICA TO
INDIA, CHINA, SOUTHEAST ASIA AND EUROPE
IN SEARCH OF THEIR SURVIVAL NEEDS
(MIGRATION)

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

(2) NEOLITHIC AGE
DEFINITION: THE NEW STONE
AGE
NEO: NEW
LITHIC: STONE AGE

- IT BEGAN ABOUT 8000 BCE

- THE MOST SIGNIFICANT EVENT

THAT TOOK PLACE DURING THIS
ERA WAS THE NEOLITHIC
REVOLUTION

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T
NEOLITHIC REVOLUTION:

-CHANGE FROM BEING NOMADIC TO CREATING PERMANENT

SETTLEMENTS.

-BEGAN TO DEVELOP AGRICULTURE AND BEGAN TO PRACTICE

DOMESTICATION OF ANIMALS SUCH AS CATTLE, GOATS, SHEEP
AND PIGS FOR FOOD
(AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION)

AGRICULTURE – GROWING OF CROPS FOR FOOD

DOMESTICATION- BREEDING OF ANIMALS FOR FOOD

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

 Flint
•It is a crystalline
material that is hard
and has sharp edges.

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

Salt
• Salt has made an impact not only in early
cooking but also in preserving food especially
during lean season.

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

•The discovery of hardened mud using
fire led to the making of bricks for
their dwelling place and pots for food
storage and other uses.

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

• Due to food scarcity, Stone Age people started to
domesticate animals. Most of the animals are
from farms so they started to breed locally.
STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T
• The breeding has necessitated systematic
understanding of the animals in terms of their behavior
and favorable traits resulting to the desired
characteristics.

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

• Planting have started accidentally when early
inhabitants discovered that seeds can grow anywhere.
STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T
ADVANCEMENTS DURING THE NEOLITHIC AGE

(1) INVENTIONS
-TWO IMPORTANT INVENTIONS ENABLED TRADERS TO
MOVE MORE GOODS OVER LONGER DISTANCES.

1) WHEEL
2) SAIL

-TO CULTIVATE MORE LAND AND PRODUCE EXTRA

CROPS FOR TRADING, ANCIENT PEOPLE BEGAN TO
BUILD ELABORATE IRRIGATION SYSTEMS.

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

• In the pre-historic times, mobility is made possible largely
through the rivers using rafts made up of bundled reeds, animal
skin and a canoe type floating vehicle.
• Wheel was invented later and found its early use in
Mesapotamian region and certain parts of China.

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

Philosophical Beginnings of Science during
Ancient Times

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

Mesopotamian: Tigris & Euphrates River

Egyptian: Nile River

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

• The discovery of different materials like
copper and bronze for the tools and other
requirements for the community paved the
way to the development of civilizations built
on systems.
Geographic Features
Mesopotamia – The Fertile Crescent
• Curved shape of land including lands facing Mediterranean
Sea & plain between Tigris & Euphrates Rivers

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

Geographic Features
Mesopotamia – The Fertile Crescent
• Flooded yearly (unpredictable) leaving behind a thick mud
called silt
• Farmers planted crops in rich soil
• Resulted in plentiful harvests  allowed villages to grow

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

Geographic Features
Environmental Challenges for Sumerians

• Challenge:

• Unpredictable flooding with a period of little to no rain.

Land sometimes became almost a desert.

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

• Solution:

• Dug irrigation ditches that carried river water to their fields

• Led to production of surplus crops

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

Geographic Features
Environmental Challenges for Sumerians

•Challenge:

• No natural barriers for protection (defenseless)

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

Geographic Features
Environmental Challenges for Sumerians
• Solution:

• Built city walls with mud bricks

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

Geographic Features
Ancient Egypt – Nile River
• Benefits:
• Predictable yearly flooding  allowed farming
settlements to grow

• Worshiped the river as a god because of its abundance

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

Egyptians and Mesopotamians were able to invent ways to
control the water with their canals, dams and irrigation systems.
Both societies are centered on religious observance of the temple
worship. Everything revolves around it. In Egypt, people worship their
pharaoh as a god.
 Egyptian Religion & Politics

• Pharaohs (God-Kings)

• Considered gods on Earth who

ruled over gov’t, religion, & the
military

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

The most important invention of the two
societies is their unique system of writing.

The Egyptians invented the hieroglyphics

which is composed of figures to represent
objects.
It is written using ink on paper made up of
papyrus.
Egyptian Hieroglyphics
• Consisted of pictographs
• Scribes recorded history,
beliefs, & ideas of ancient
Egypt (often times in the
tombs of the pharaohs)
• Used to document tax
collection, laws, storage of
grain, etc.

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

Mesopotamians invented the cuneiform. The
writing instrument is stamped on moistened
clay which hardens as it dries.
 Sumerian Cuneiform
• Used wedge-shaped tool to press symbols into clay,
then baked clay in the sun to preserve the writing

• Used for record-keeping, writing about wars, natural

disasters, etc.

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

Another notable contribution is their astronomical
understanding led to the making of of calendar based on
regularity of movements from either the moon or the sun.
Iron was also discovered during the
Ancient Times

The emergence of this material is made possible

by the growing knowledge in smelting metals

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T M.Sarmiento

Discovery of Iron
• It became staple for
agricultural, navigation and
military use

• It bolstered production of
food, tools and other
products resulting to strong
economy

• Ships were constructed

promoting trade to as far as
Africa, Asia and other parts
of Europe.
Phoenician Alphabet

• Needed a way of recording

transactions clearly and quickly

• Similarities can be seen

between Phoenician, Greek, &
modern-day alphabets

• Emergence of other disciplines

and art like: poetry, history and
philosophy.

STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T

Greeks
• Rendered rational explanations to the workings of the universe.
• Believed that universe is governed by universal principles.
• This worldview cleared the way for the emergence of Science although
without much reference to reality.

Instead the philosophers launched of the universe grounded on logic

and not on what is observable
STS Chapter 2 - Historical Devt of S&T