Module 1: Historical Antecedents in the Course of Science and Technology

Science comes from the Latin word scienctia, meaning ‘knowledge.’ It refers to a systematic and
methodical activity of building and organizing knowledge about how the universe behaves through
observation, experimentation or both.

Technology, for its part, is the application of scientific knowledge, laws, and principles to produce
services, materials, tools, and machines aimed at solving real-world problems. It comes from the Greek
root word techne, meaning ‘art, skill, or cunning of hand.’

According to Albert Einstein, “it is not knowledge if you only derived it from books but if you can derive
it on numbers, it is considered knowledge.” Because numbers are the application of knowledge and
technology is the application of numbers and science.

In the ancient times, people were concerned with transportation and navigation, communication, and
recordkeeping, mass production, security and protection, as well as health, aesthetics, and architecture.

Transportation was significant during that time because people were trying to go places and discover
new horizons. They are travelling to search for food and find better locations for their settlements. They
also travelled to trade their surplus goods in exchange for things that they lacked. Communication was
also essential in their endeavors to discover and occupy new places. They needed a way to communicate
with the natives of the areas they visited so as to facilitate trade and prevent possible conflicts.

The increase in size and number of nations connoted increased demand for food and other basic
necessities, this condition also implied that the people must be able to produce food at a given time and
space since resources were getting scarcer as more people struggled to share the basic necessities. The
people thus needed a form of technology that would enable them to increase food supplies and other
survival needs.

SUMERIAN CIVILAZATION
CUNIEFORM

One of the major contributions of the Sumerians is the development of the first writing system known as
cuneiform. It is a system that utilizes word pictures and triangular symbols which are carved on clay
using wedge instruments and then left to dry. Cuneiform allowed the Sumerians to keep records of
things with great historical value or their everyday life. It is also one way of passing their traditions,
cultures, and their legacy.Sumeria is located on the southernmost tip of ancient Mesopotamia between
the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in the area later became Babylonia, Sumerians, are known for their high
degree of cooperation with one another and their desire for great things. They are not contented with
the basic things that life can offer. This desire pushed them to develop many things connected with
science and technology.
URUK CITY

Another important contribution of the Sumerians is the City of Uruk. It is a great wonder not only
because it is considered to be the first true city in the world but also for the way it was erected. There
were no building stones in the location of this city and lumber was limited, making the construction a big
challenge. The Sumerians we re able to build the city using only mud or clay from the river, which they
mixed with reeds, producing sunbaked bricks-a true engineering feat. They used the bricks to make
houses that protected them from the harsh weather and to build a wall around the city that prevented
wild animals and neighboring raiders from entering.

THE GREAT ZIGGURAT OF UR

Another engineering and architectural feat of the Sumerians is the Great Ziggurat of Ur. The Ziggurat,
also called the mountain of God, was built in the same manner that they constructed the City of Uruk.
Without much building materials, the structure was constructed using sunbaked bricks. The Ziggurat
served as the sacred place of their chief god, where only priest was allowed to enter

IRRIGATION AND DIKES

As population increase, so did the demand for food. The Sumerians were challenged to mass produce
items but the elements in the environment seemed uncooperative. It was difficult to get water form the
rivers, thus they could not maintain farmlands. Some groups had scarce water supply, while others had
problems with flooding caused by the river. As a solution to this dilemma, the Sumerians created dikes
and irrigation canals to bring water to farmlands and at the same time control the flooding of the rivers.
This method was considered as one of the world’s most beneficial engineering works.

SAIL BOATS

Another challenge to the Sumerians was transportation. At that time, the wheel was not yet invented;
the main mode of transportation was trough waterways such as rivers and seas. Boats were used to
carry large quantities of products and were able to cover large distances. However, they wanted to
discover faraway lands to settle since the population was getting larger, and boats were not enough to
accommodate more people and products. They needed a mode of transportation that did not require
much human resource. Some resources attribute to the Sumerians the invention of sailboats to address
their increasing demands. Sailboats were essential in transportation and trading as well as in fostering
culture, information, and technology.

WHEEL

In the latter part of their history, the Sumerians were able to invent the wheel since the specialized tools
needed to create it were already available. The first wheels were not made for transportation but for
farm work and food process. With the use of the wheel and axel, mass production was made easier.
Farmers were able to mill grains with less effort in less time.
THE PLOW

Another farm technology invented by the Mesopotamians is the plow. The plow was invented to dig the
earth in a faster pace. As the plow beaks the ground, the farmer would just drop the seeds and farm
work would already be done

ROADS

In order to facilitate faster and easier travel, the Sumerians developed the first roads. With this work,
the flow of traffic became faster and more organized. They made the roads with the same technology
they used in making sunbaked bricks that they laid down on the ground

The Sumerians does not have any degree in engineering or in architecture, but they were able to build
buildings, road, infrastructure and many more that are still solid at stable until now.

BABYLONIAN CIVILIZATION
Babylonian civilization emerged near the Tigris and Euphrates river. The Babylonians were great
builders, engineers, and architects. Babylonia as I have mentioned emerge near the river because water
is one of their basic necessities. Water brings food for them, brings energy and beauty, and it also
enable them to travel from one place to another. With the use of river, they are able to exchange their
goods to other places and they can also use it to conquer and also to escape.

One of their major contributions is the hanging garden of Babylon, one of the seven wonders of the
ancient world. Today, people can only marvel at the beauty of the famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon
form the stories of historians and paintings that portray the place. It was said to be a structure made up
of layers upon layers of gardens that contained several species of plants, trees, and vines. However, no
physical evidence has been found to prove the existence of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Its exact
location is unknown.

EGYPITAN CIVILIZATION
Another early civilization famous for it legacy is the Egyptian civilization located in North Africa. Many
stories tell about the engineering feats of the Egyptian especially regarding infrastructures established
by the Pharaohs.

PAPER OR PAPYRUS

Aside from the Sumerians, Egyptians also developed a system of writing, they were able to make writing
easier for the world. Before, they are using tables made from clay tablets but they find it fragile, heavy,
and delicate to handle. Hence, the Egyptian invention of paper or papyrus was a welcome development.
They were able to process the plant in order to produce thin sheets on which one could write down
things
INK

When Egyptians invented the papyrus or the paper, engraving ceased to be used in writing. As a result,
the Egyptians invented ink by combining soot with different chemicals to produce inks of different
colors.

HEIROGLYPHICS

Like Sumerians, the Egyptians also developed a system of writing using symbols, known as hieroglyphics.
Although some say that hieroglyphics was adapted from the early writing system established in
Mesopotamia as a result of trade between civilizations the Egyptians believed that this writing systems
was provided to them by their gods.

Their way of writing is also the root cause why many scientists are confused about their history.
Hieroglyphics is not just an ordinary writing of text, but it is also consisting of many different symbols
and illustrations that may lead the scientist to misinterpretation of data or meaning. Hieroglyphics was
the language that tells the modern world of the history and culture of the ancient Egyptians. Their
records were well-preserved since they were carved at the walls of pyramids and other important
Egyptian structures.

COSMETICS AND WIG

Cosmetics nowadays are essentials in building your self confidence but did you know that the cosmetics
that we are using right now is invented by the Egyptians? Although cosmetics in the modern times are
used to improve and highlight the facial features of a person, their function in ancient Egypt was for
both health and aesthetic.

For example, Egyptians wore kohl around the eyes to prevent and even cure eye diseases. Kohl was
created by mixing soon or malachite with mineral galena.

Another cosmetic invention of ancient Egyptian is the wig. Nowadays, wigs are used to enhance the
appearance of people who are balding or those who want to try new hair trends. Meanwhile, during the
ancient Egyptian times, they were used for health and wellness rather than for aesthetic purposes. They
used it to cover their head from the harmful rays of the sun.

WATER CLOCK/CLEPSYDRA

Another important ancient Egyptian contribution is the water clock. This device utilizes gravity that
affects the flow of water from on vessel to another. This invention also leads to our modern-day clock
through series of improvement done by the succeeding civilization.

GREEK CIVILIZATION
Many students are actually excited about the Greek civilization because they think about the Greek
Gods and Goddesses but spoiler alert, they are just myths. Greece is an archipelago in the southeastern
part of Europe. This makes their country difficult to conquer since it is an archipelago, they can hide or
ambush the enemy from various island. Europe is known as the birth place of western philosophy, some
of the major achievements of the Greeks include in-depth works on philosophy and mathematics. Greek
civilization has contributed much to the world especially in the fields of science and technology.
The first proponents of an atomic theory were the Greek philosophers Leucippus and Democritus in the
field of science and on the field of math they have Pythagoras who was perhaps the first to realize that a
complete system of mathematics could be constructed and later called Pythagorean Theorem.

ALARM CLOCK

One of the most utilized gadgets today was invented by ancient Greeks is the alarm clock. Although the
alarm clock during that time does not resembles the present-day clocks, the purpose was just the same-
to tell an individual when to stop or when to start.

WATER MILL

Watermills were also considered as one of the most important contributions of the Greek civilization to
the world. They were commonly used in agricultural processes like milling of grains which is necessary
form of food processing during that time. Mass production of rice, cereals, flours and the like became
common with the help of watermills. Modern-day watermills also help for converting mechanical energy
into electricity which also leads to invention of windmill and turbine.

ROMAN CIVILIZATION

The Roman Empire was perceived to be the strongest political and social entity in the west. Political
because of its huge population and territory and social because of religion. It was considered to be the
cradle of politics and governance during the period. Because the Roman Empire was so large, other
civilizations looked up to it as their model in terms of legislation and codified law. That is why many
other civilizations were conquered by the Roman Empire because of its existing laws which make it more
complex and more stable compared to the other civilizations or empire.

The following are the inventions and innovations of the Roman Empire.

 Newspaper

 Bound Books or Codex 

Roman Architecture

 Roman numerals

All of the above-mentioned inventions are still existing in this present-day civilization and are used in the
entire world. The most famous is the newspaper which is globally used by different races.
CHINESE CIVILIZATION
The Chinese civilization is considered the oldest civilization in Asia, if not the world. Also known as the
middle kingdom, China is located on the far east of Asia. It was very famous among the other ancient
civilization because of its silk trade.

The following are contributions of Chinese civilization to the world

 Silk industry

 Tea production

 Worlds Famous Great wall of China

 Gun powder

China even until know controls the production of almost everything. Most of the things like gadget,
furniture, weapon, medicine, basic necessities, any many other are made in China. That is why Chinese
economy is getting bigger and its control over the international politics is indeed very impressive

MEDIEVAL/MIDDLE AGES

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 field of weaponry, navigation, mass food
and farm production, and health. Most innovative minds came from this period to control the increase
of trade and commerce among nations.

PRINTING PRESS

Johann Gutenberg was able to invent the printing press, a more reliable way of printing using a cast
type. This general invention soon evolved to be the mechanical printing press which was eventually used
all over the world. The printing press was invented to address the need for publishing books that would
spread information to many people at a faster rate.

MICROSCOPE

Growing population is caused massive migration and urbanization during the period. More and more
people are transferred to polluted and populated urban areas which resulted in more people getting sick
and needing medical attention. To develop the proper medicines for the illness, experts must
understand the sickness through investigation that is why the invented this device to magnify the small
things that are invisible to the naked eye
TELESCOPE

Since the Middle Ages was also known as the age of exploration, the need for nautical inventions was
high. Considering the vast and empty oceans that separated lands, ship captains needed to see far and
wide for them to navigate or avoid dangers at sea.

WAR WEAPON

Since wars were widespread during the Middle Ages, great development in the weaponry technology
also occurred. One of the keys to gain victory during this time are well crafted bows, spears, even
armors which are used in close range hand-to-hand combat and for open-area battles.

MODERN TIMES

The booming world population during the nineteenth 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 thus be upgrade. Faster and
easier means to communicate and compute should be developed to establish connections between and
among nations. Because of these, the birth of various industries takes place. However, due to massive
industrialization, the modern times again faced more complicated problems.

PASTEURIZATION

As people were able to develop better means of production to meet the needs of the population, food
preservation and food safety became an issue. The challenge to keep manufactured from deteriorating
was greater for dairy products, especially milk, since they usually spoiled faster. If this food is not
consumed immediately after the production, it might lead to food poisoning, diphtheria, and typhoid
fever.

Louise Pasture, a French biologist, microbiologist, and chemist, found a way to solve the problem. He
invented pasteurization, the process of heating dairy products to kill the harmful bacteria that allow the
m so spoil faster. Through this process, milk could be stored and consumed for a longer period.

PETROLEUM REFINERY

Samuel M. Kier was able to invent kerosene by refining petroleum. Kerosene was later on referred to as
the “illuminating oil” because it was used at first to provide lighting to homes. After some time, it was
applied for heating purpose. Nowadays, kerosene is still present as still used by many people for
powering automobiles, factories, and power plants, among others.
TELEPHONE

What do you think is the first word ever spoken on the telephone? It is “Mr. Watson, come here. I want
to see you” Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone and it was one of the most important
inventions at that time. But before, the connection is very limited, the commoners cannot afford to buy
one, and it is not that reliable in terms of stability and consistency. Nowadays, telephones are one of the
necessities in this fast-changing world. Millennials can no longer live without it according to time
magazine.

CALCULATOR

Although an earlier version of the calculator had already been developed, circumstances in the modern
times required a faster way to compute mire complicated equations. The creation of modern-day
calculator did not only pave the way for easier arithmetic calculations, but also resulted in the
development of more complex processing machines like computer.

PHILIPPINE INVENTIONS
Despite being considered a developing country, the Philippines also contributes to the global
advancement of science and technology. We have a group of inventors called the Filipino Inventors
Society which aims to remedy the needs of the consumers by inventing useful machines that could help
us in our everyday living. These inventors are supported by the DOST or the Department of Science and
Technology. Some of the world renounce Filipino inventions are the following:

 Videoke

 Salamander Amphibious Tricycle

 Salt Lamp  Medical Incubator

 Mosquito Ovicidal/Larvicidal Trap System

 Ejeepney

These inventions are being recognized and being used all over the world. According to the Filipino
Inventors Society Secretary Fortunato de la Pena, “we may lack of resources, but our minds are filled
with knowledge” which is true. As a Filipino, we know how to be patient and how to curl when the
blanket is short meaning, we find ways in every problem that we face.

The items discussed in this chapter are only some of the great inventions and developments during the
different time periods. There are still more innovations and discoveries that were made in the course of
history that changed the world.