ENSCI 1100: Science Technology and Society / 1
Inventions and Societies
(Worksheet for Learning Task 2.1)
Introduction
Our goal in this lesson is to learn how science and technology have progressed throughout time, particularly during the ancient times and the
middle ages.
Periods in History (https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-hccc-worldcivilization/chapter/splitting-history/)
Humans began to evolve about seven million years ago, and progressed through four stages of evolution. Research shows that the first
modern humans appeared 200,000 years ago. That’s a lot of time! Historians often split history into periods. Periodization is the process of
categorizing the past into discrete, quantified, named blocks of time in order to facilitate the study and analysis of history. This results in
descriptive abstractions that provide convenient terms for periods of time with relatively stable characteristics.
The common general split between prehistory (before written history), ancient history, Middle Ages, modern history, and contemporary history
(history within the living memory) is a Western division of the largest blocks of time agreed upon by Western historians and representing the
Western point of view. For example, the history of Asia or Africa cannot be neatly categorized following these periods. However, we shall adopt
these periods in this course.
The ancient world covers the period between 3500 BC to 500 AD, the Middle Ages was from 500 to 1500 AD, while the modern period began
from 1500 AD (http://www.essential-humanities.net/history-overview/world-history-timeline/).
Activity I
1. Please download “World History: Cultures, States, and Societies to 1500” from https://oer.galileo.usg.edu/history-textbooks/2/.
2. Fill in the table below with the necessary information that may be obtained from the book (or other sources in some cases). Look at the
item in the “Invention/Discovery” column. Go to the page indicated. Read about the item. Learn about what it is and how it is used (you
ENSCI 1100: Science Technology and Society / 2
may consult other resources if necessary). Browse the book for information about the civilization that developed the item to understand
why the item/s needed to be developed. In the last column, try to justify the invention of the item/s.
Civilization/ Period in
history
Invention/Discovery
Description of the item and/or how it works
Why do you think the
invention/discovery was important for
the civilization/society?
Sumerians/Ancient
Cuneiform (p. 29)
“a written script of wedge shaped marks;”
“styluses made of reed to write on clay
tablets that were dried and could be stored;”
used for keeping “written records describing
financial transactions, court proceedings,
administrative decisions, and architectural
plans;” also used to write legends, epic
poems, chants, and prayers. [Source: World
History: Cultures, States, and Societies to
1500]
The cuneiform was essential for
communication and record keeping.
The Sumerians needed it to manage
the affairs of the city (financial
transactions, court proceedings,
administrative decisions, and
architectural plans), and for trade with
other cities. They also used it to record
stories, poems and prayers, ensuring
that they can be passed on to the next
generation.
ANCIENT
MESOPOTAMIA
Irrigation, drainage
ditches, water
reserves (p. 37)
“to control the flow of water;” “They also
stored water in reservoirs to use during the
dry months of the year;” “ in parts of Lower
Mesopotamia, the courses of the rivers and
their tributaries changed frequently, so
people either had to move to follow the
water’s new path or divert a river to continue
supplying water for their settlement.[Source:
World History: Cultures, States, and
Societies to 1500]
To irrigate their land, they dug large
reservoirs to hold water supplies. Then
they dug canals, human-made
waterways, which connected these
reservoirs to a network of ditches.
These trenches brought water to the
fields. Farmers built the banks of the
Tigris and the Euphrates to protect their
fields from flooding.
ANCIENT EGYPT
Hieroglyphics and
papyrus (p. 44)
“Both sides of the Palette of Narmer also
have some of the earliest known
hieroglyphs;” “to chronicle glorified accounts
It is the precursor to modern paper, the
name of which is derived from the word
"papyrus." Papers written on papyrus
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of their patrons’ lives on the sides of their
tombs;” “The Egyptian administration tended
to use ink and papyrus to maintain its official
records;” “ one of the earliest writing systems
and Egyptian paper” [Source: World History:
Cultures, States, and Societies to 1500]
were often sealed with a mud seal
embossed with a scarab seal stamp,
much in the same way that wax seals
were later used.
THE SONG DYNASTY
Moveable-type
printing (p. 161)
“during the Song Dynasty, moveable-type
printing also began to be widely used;”
“contributing to an increase in literacy and
broader exposure to these new ideas;”
“Chinese characters Page | 162 were carved
on wood blocks, which were then arranged in
boxes that could be dipped in ink and printed
on paper;” [Source: World History: Cultures,
States, and Societies to 1500]
Movable type was never widely
used in China because whole-block
printing was less expensive, but
when movable type reached Europe
in the 15th century, it revolutionized
the communication of ideas.
THE SONG DYNASTY
Gunpowder (p. 162)
“Explosives derived from gunpowder were
engineered to open mines;” “Other inventions
that made China one of the most
technologically innovative during this time
include gunpowder weapons and the
mariner’s compass.;” “Gunpowder weapons
first begin to be widely used in East Asia and
during the Song Dynasty.;” [Source: World
History: Cultures, States, and Societies to
1500]
Song military engineers found
gunpowder to be helpful in siege
warfare, leading to the development
of early types of rockets, cannons,
bombs, and mines.
The Peloponnesian War
(431 – 404 BCE)
Catapult (p. 200)
“catapults, so useful for targeting a city from
the outside, first came into being in 399 BCE,
five years after the war had ended.;”
“The Catapult was invented at
Rise of the Hoplite
Phalanx and the Polis
Hoplon (p. 187)
“Armed in the same way – with a helmet,
spear, and the round shield, the hoplon,
With the introduction of the hoplite
phalanx formation, a new fighting
Syracuse”
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which gave the hoplites their name – the
soldiers were arranged in rows, possibly as
much as seven deep.;”
method introduced by the Greeks
where militants with shields forming a
wall in the frontline and spearmen
would project their shields in front of the
shield wall creating an unbreakable
formation. The phalanx formation was
used by several polis–an ancient Greek
state and civilization with its own set of
rules, government, and military.
Regardless of the polis, its protection
relied on the well-being and ethics of its
citizens, this included the security of its
citizens from the phalanx. Furthermore,
the hoplite phalanx ensured the safety
and assurance of the lives of its citizens
in the polis.
Hellenistic Period
Pharos (p.212)
The Pharos of Alexandria was simply a
lighthouse, yet it was considered one of the
most impressive and beautiful architectures
made by man during the Hellenistic period. In
fact, during the period, it was deemed as one
of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
and was the tallest building in the world. The
building had three parts, which the top held a
furnace that produced the light to guide the
ships, the middle part which houses the
people operating the lighthouse, and the
bottom part that consisted of the stairs all the
way up to the top.
Similar to a modern lighthouse, the
Pharos' purpose was to protect harbors
and guide ships that sail at night.
Moreover, the Pharo also served as a
symbol of how the people of Alexandria
during the Hellenistic period were
capable of conquering the land and
sea. The Pharo paved the way for
engineers to build the modern
lighthouse.
Hellenistic Period
Heat ray (p. 212)
The Archimedes Heat Ray is part of the
inventions of the great Archimedes of
Syracuse in implementing the use of
The invention was used as a weapon of
war during the period and more periods
to stop approaching ships from
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mathematical formulas and equations to
create weapons of war. The user would
preferably need a copper or bronze shield as
mirrors or mirrors themselves to focus the
sun rays into a concentrated point to create
fire.
harboring the land by focusing the
mirrors on ships, thus making them on
fire.
11th-12th Century Europe
Heavy plow (p.434)
Along with the discovery of iron, Westerners
were able to create iron weapons and iron
tools. These included the heavy plow. The
heavy plow consisted of a wheel that made
deeper cuts in the soil that allowed for high
ridges and deep furrows to reduce the
amount of erosion. Compared to earlier
plows that merely scratched the surface of
the soil.
The access to thicker soil introduced
the three-field system of agriculture.
Where "one third given over to cereal
crops, one third to crops such as
legumes (which increase fertility in soil),
and a third left fallow, i.e., uncultivated
either to serve as grazing land for
livestock or simply rebuild its nutrients
by lying unused." The heavy plow
allowed humanity to harvest more crops
which means more food, and more food
means more power which later led to
the prosperity of cities.
11th-13th Century Europe
Three field system of
agriculture (p.435)
“Fields would have one third given over to
cereal crops, one third to crops such as
legumes (which increase fertility in soil), and
a third left fallow, i.e., uncultivated either to
serve as grazing land for livestock or simply
rebuild its nutrients by lying unused." The
third can also be used sod-forming and other
crops.
The three-field system of agriculture
served as a basis for the farmers to
follow. The crop rotation method
provides farmers to plant more crops
during the season as the rotation favors
the type of plant to grow during the
season; wheat or rye in the fall; peas,
beans, and lentils in spring; and finally,
oats, barley, and legumes in late
summer. The economy following the
three-field system of agriculture would
not experience a shortage of food as
the harvest of time of each field is more
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than enough ration for its people for the
year. With increased food supply,
morale among citizens was high, the
economy was growing, leading to the
better well-being of its state and
citizens.
12th-13th Century Europe
Eyeglasses (p. 461)
During the years 1286 and 1306, with the
lens-grinding technology accessible to
Western Europeans, Salvino D'Armate
invented the glasses. The glasses were
made of glass-blown lenses set into a
wooden or leather frame. Compared to
modern glasses where the frame sits resting
on the nose and ears, glasses or "spectacles"
as they call them in the 13th century were
held in the face or perched on the nose.
The general purpose of the invention of
eyeglasses is to correct the vision of
people with ocular problems such as
nearsightedness and farsightedness.
According to an article from Zeiss,
glasses are considered the fifth most
important discovery of humanity since
more than half of the population
globally experiences problems with
their vision. This would, later on, be
impactful since people will not be
limited to their faulty vision in doing
certain tasks. Economically, this also
created an industry dedicated to
creating glasses boosting the economy
of the state.
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Activity II
Reflect on the characteristics of the societies in the ancient civilizations. What were the concerns during those times? Write a 200-word essay
about how you think the needs of the societies in the past differ with what we need today. How can the differences in past and present needs
partly affect the kind of inventions produced? Write your essay below.
Comparing the characteristics of ancient civilization from Sumerians to 13th century Europe, several similar aspects are discernible.
Almost all early civilizations had a city where a large portion of the population resides administered by either their own government or the country's
government and protected by military personnel. With its people comes the social structure where people are divided, likely based on their wealth.
Moreover, each period persists in discovering and inventing solutions to their problems, whether art, writing, tools, or monumental structures.
These inventions are heavily influenced by religion during the time, which unified the people of the civilization.
During the earliest civilization of Sumerians and Mesopotamia, they focused on inventions that can improve their way of living and writing.
During the ancient Greek and Hellenistic period, more weapons of war were invented. And in the late European period, tools were created to
improve their lifestyles. Because most of the problems were solved in earlier times, people of the modern world need not tamper with the solutions
yet further improve them. Furthermore, the inventions of the past strongly influence the inventions in the future. One could say that without the
former inventions, today's age of technology would not be advanced as it would be. Therefore, previous inventions paved the path to the tools
and devices the world has today.