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

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Module 1: Historical Antecedents in the Course of Science and TechnologyWhat will you learn from this module?Have you ever wondered about the petty things from the past civilization? like how they build a solid and stable infrastructure, how they come up with some of the most ground-breaking inventi...

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Module 1: Historical Antecedents in the Course of Science and Technology What will you learn from this module? Have you ever wondered about the petty things from the past civilization? like how they build a solid and stable infrastructure, how they come up with some of the most ground-breaking inventions like clock, battery, system of writing, even the cosmetics? If yes, this module is for you. In this module, you will learn the about the ancient history and the early civilization. You will study the different technological advancements during the ancient times, which include some of the achievements of the early civilizations such as Sumerians, Babylonians, and Egyptians. This module is composed of four lessons.    

Lesson 1: Ancient Times Lesson 2: Medieval/Middle Ages Lesson 3: Modern Times Lesson 4: Philippine Inventions

After studying this module, you should be able to; 1. Explain how science and technology affected the society and environment and vice versa; 2. Identify inventions and discoveries that changed the world over the course of history and; 3. Discuss the scientific and technological developments in the Philippines. INTRODUCTION 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.

LESSON 1 Let’s Read Course Code STS

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Historical Antecedents in the Course of Science and Technology 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 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.

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. URUK CITY

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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 Cour

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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

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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. Course Code STS

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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. This invention according to the scientist resembles that of the Egyptians but this is more complex but more accurate.

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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 Course Code STS

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. LESSON 2 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.

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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. LESSON 3 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.

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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. Course Code STS

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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. LESSON 4 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 Am...