HAN AND ROME TECHNOLOGY DBQ
2007
ANALYZE HAN AND ROMAN
ATTITUDES TOWARD TECHNOLOGY
The Question
WHAT DOES THIS DOCUMENT
TELL US ABOUT TECHNOLOGY
AND HOW INDIVIDUALS FELT
ABOUT IT?
Apply the key question to the document
DOCUMENT ONE: HAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL
WRITING TO LOCAL OFFICIALS, EARLY 2ND
CENTURY BCE
Establish water conservation offices in each
district and staff them with experienced
individuals.
 Government involvement for inspections of
waterways, walls of cities, the dikes, rivers,
canals, etc.
 Supply workers to carry out repair


Extra notes: positive tone; Confucian obligation
of good government; Mandate of Heaven; history
of flooding (River of Sorrows); requires labor to
carry out repairs
DOCUMENT TWO: HUAN GUAN, HAN
GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL, DISCOURSES ON SALT
AND IRON, FIRST CENTURY BCE
Early tools made by individuals were well-made
 Iron tools created by government monopoly and
convict labor are crude
 Good tools are hard to come by
 Iron production economically benefits the state
 Common people cannot afford iron and till with
wooden plows


Extra notes: Negative tone, criticism of
government production; consider Confucian
position on business and merchant activity; hurt
laborers
DOCUMENT THREE: HUAN TAN, UPPER-CLASS
HAN PHILOSOPHER, NEW DISCOURSES, 20 CE
Wise ruler invented pestle and mortar
 Continual improvement


Extra notes: positive tone, tied to wise
leadership; Confucian thought
DOCUMENT FOUR: HISTORY OF THE EARLY HAN
DYNASTY (GOVERNMENT SPONSORED), 200 CE
Tu Shih was a governor who cared for his people
and wished to reduce their labor
 Improved technology for casting of iron
implements
 Great benefit with limited labor


Extra notes: government role; Confucian
thoughts; theme of iron; effects on limited labor
DOCUMENT FIVE: CIERCO, UPPER-CLASS
ROMAN POLITICIAN, ON DUTY, FIRST CENTURY
B CE


Improper for gentlemen of a certain status to
labor including craftsmen
Extra notes: negative tone for certain peoples;
upper-class person justifying his role of elite
position
DOCUMENT SIX: PLUTARCH, GREEK BORN
ROMAN CITIZEN AND HIGH OFFICIAL,
DESCRIBING GAIUS GRACCHUS, FIRST CENTURY
CE


Focus on the need for the state to create roads
using technology know-how
Extra notes: positive tone, government
involvement to benefit the masses; during Pax
Romana but looks back to hero of the masses
DOCUMENT SEVEN: SENECA, UPPER-CLASS
ROMAN PHILOSOPHER AND ADVISOR TO NERO,
FIRST CENTURY CE


Technology created with a nimble sharp mind,
but not by a great or elevate man
Extra notes: technology equates with work; only
appropriate for certain classes; justify elite
position
DOCUMENT 8: FRONTINUS, GOVERNOR
GENERAL OF BRITAIN AND WATER
COMMISSIONER, FIRST CENTURY CE


Aqueducts created by advanced technology
Extra notes: Government uses technology; water;
he is the water commissioner
SOME POTENTIAL GROUPS

Those who saw a benefit in technology

Technology to control water resources
Technology and its effects on iron
production
 Technology inappropriate for the upperclasses
 Government utilizing technology
 Effects on labor as related to technology
 Government and political leaders
 Negative feelings about technology

EXAMPLE THESIS PARAGRAPH

The Classical Age spawned a great many
advancements and achievements associated with
the consolidation of imperial power and economic
growth which contributed to an era of several
golden ages from Han China to Gupta India to
the Pax Romana. Some looked to new
technological discoveries as beneficial, partially
in light of the need to control water resources.
Others had far less positive feelings about new
technology. Some went so far as to suggest that
technology and its applications were demeaning
to the status of a true gentleman.
EXAMPLE GROUP

Many saw new technology as benefiting both
governments and individuals.
DOCUMENTS AS EVIDENCE
CREATION OF A SUB-GROUP

Many saw new technology as benefiting both
governments and individuals. This was particularly true
when it came to managing water resources, an
essential requirement often fulfilled by the state.
Frontinus (8), the Roman General and governor of
Britain, pointed out that aqueducts brought water to
every elevation of major cities. Such water could be
used for a variety of purposes, all of which
demonstrated that this technological invention was
superior and unique in the ancient world. Similarly, a
Han government official (1) ordered local officials to
concern themselves with inspecting and repairing
waterways, dikes, and canals. Both men point out how
critically important it is for the government to use
technology to control water. Huan Tan (3) also suggests
that technology is a great benefit. He points to the
mythological wise emperor, Fuxi, and….
BIAS/POV

The topic of technology and its applications took on other
areas including the topic of iron tool production. A History
of the Early Han Dynasty (4) points to the benefits of such
technology. A discussion is provided about a provincial
governor, Tu Shih, and how his invention of a waterpowered blowing-engine created better iron tools to help
laborers. Huan Guan (2) discuss these same tools but
suggests that technology dominated by the state monopoly
on iron actually harmed the production of farm implements
by creating poorly fabricated tools vastly inferior to those
created by workers for their own use. As a Han
government official, we might assume that Huan Guan
would be greatly influenced by the Confucian
characterization of business and merchant activity as
corruptible and lowly. This could easily sway his thoughts
on the government monopolization of the iron industry and
its involvement in the technological manufacturing of such
tools.
BIAS/POV AND AD

Some were highly critical of technology as they
saw it as something inappropriate for upper-class
individuals, and rather only appropriate for the more
common man. Cierco (4), an upper-class Roman
politician, describes the work of craftsmen as vulgar.
Seneca (7), an upper-class Roman philosopher, also
suggests that great or elevated men don’t invent
things. Perhaps both men were trying to justify their
elite status in a society which valued oratory skills
and involvement in political life. It would be
interesting to see the perspective of a common man,
such as a peasant, to evaluate how they felt about
technology. Would it be the great savior that many
suggested, or it would it only cause them to toil more?