History of Technology Foundations of Technology History of Technology © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association STEM  Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology Teacher Resource – Unit 1 Lesson 1

The BIG Idea Big Idea: People are better able to understand the world around them when they explore how people of all times and places have used their unique skills to develop inventions and innovations. © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association STEM  Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology

Technological Development Technology is evolutionary and is often the result of a series of refinements to an idea or basic invention. The evolution of civilization has been directly attributed to the development of tools and materials. © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association STEM  Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology

Technological Development The impact of technological development can be divided into four categories: Social – the impact on people Political – the impact on policy and laws Cultural – the impact on human achievement Economic – the impact on the economy © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association STEM  Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology

The History of Technology Early in the history of technology, the development of tools and materials was based on technological know-how. Today, technological development is based on scientific knowledge and engineering design. © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association STEM  Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology

The History of Technology The History of Technology can be divided into nine distinct periods of time: © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association STEM  Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology Paleolithic Age Mesolithic Age Neolithic Age Bronze Age Iron Age The Middle Ages The Renaissance Industrial Age The Information Age

The Paleolithic Age The Old Stone Age or in Greek (palaios – “old”) and (lithos – “stone”) Time Period: 500,000 BC – 10,000 BC Impacts on history: Improved diet and enhanced security enabled early humans to increase the population. Artifacts: Stone axes, bone needles, hearth sites © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association STEM  Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology

The Mesolithic Age The Middle Stone Age or in Greek (mesos – “middle”) and (lithos – “stone”) Time Period: 10,000 BC – 4,000 BC Impacts on history: The gradual domestication of animals and agriculture led to settled communities. Artifacts: Leatherwork, fishing tackle, stone circles © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association STEM  Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology

The Neolithic Age The New Stone Age or in Greek (néos – “new”) and (líthos – “stone”) Time Period: 4,000 BC – 2,300 BC Impacts on history: Dependable year-round food supply enables division of labor and specialization that spurs invention. Artifacts: Spinning/weaving tools, stone plows, sickles © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association STEM  Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology

The Neolithic Age Examples of Engineering Design during the Neolithic Age: Mesopotamian engineers used clay tablets to document irrigation systems. Babylonian engineers used mathematical concepts such as algebra for land excavation calculations. Egyptian engineers built the pyramids. © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association STEM  Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology

The Bronze Age The architectural period that included combining copper and tin to produce bronze Time Period: 2,300 BC – 700 BC Impacts on history: The use of bronze replaced stone tools and allowed humans to greatly alter their environment. Artifacts: Bronze jewelry, tools/weapons © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association STEM  Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology

The Iron Age The architectural period marked by the prevalent use of iron or steel Time Period: 700 BC – 450 AD Impacts on history: Military dominance for cultures that could produce iron weapons. The iron-blade plow allowed humans to increase food production. Artifacts: Iron farming equipment/weapons, manuscripts © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association STEM  Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology

The Iron Age Examples of Engineering Design during the Iron Age: Greek engineers created the crossbow and catapult to conquer territories. Roman engineers created aqueduct systems, sanitary systems, and an extensive road system. © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association STEM  Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology

The Middle Ages The architectural period after the Roman Empire. Divided into Early Middle Ages, High Middle Ages, and Late Middle Ages. Time Period: 450 AD – 1,400 AD © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association STEM  Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology

The Middle Ages Impacts on history: In the late Middle Ages: famine, plague and war, often marked by the Black Death, which killed approximately one-third of the population Artifacts: Improved harness for horses, cast iron, cannons, mechanical clocks, compass, printing press. © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association STEM  Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology

The Renaissance / Enlightenment The architectural period marked by the revival of classical influence and the sharing of ideas, or in Italian (Rinascimento – “to be reborn”) Time Period: 1,400 AD – 1,750 AD Impacts on history: Instrumentation enabled scientists to observe and quantify natural phenomena. Artifacts: Telescope, microscope, thermometer © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association STEM  Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology

The Renaissance / Enlightenment Examples of Engineering Design during the Renaissance: Leonardo da Vinci was born in Italy in 1452 and began his career as an artist, painting and sculpting. He also designed weapons, buildings, and machinery. © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association STEM  Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology

The Renaissance / Enlightenment Examples of Engineering Design during the Renaissance: Galileo Galilei was born in 1564 and was known as a physicist, astronomer, and philosopher. He is best known for his improvements to the telescope and astronomical observations. © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association STEM  Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology

The Industrial Age The architectural period marked by the first use of complex machinery, factories, and urbanization. Time Period: 1,750 AD – 1,950 AD Impacts on history: The industrial revolution gave rise to urban centers, requiring vast municipal services, creating a specialized and interdependent economic life. © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association STEM  Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology

The Industrial Age Impacts on history: Economic expansion created the rise of professionals, population expansion, and improved standard of living. Artifacts: Electricity, automobile, airplane, radio, television, telephone, rocket © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association STEM  Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology

The Industrial Age Examples of Engineering Design during the Industrial Age: James Watt refines the steam engine for practical use. Alessandro Volta discovers the principles for a battery. Henry Ford creates the concept of the modern assembly line. © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association STEM  Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology

The Information Age The architectural period marked by information sharing, gathering, manipulation, and retrieval. Time Period: 1950 AD - Present Impacts on history: As information becomes more widely available, increasing numbers of people will be empowered. Artifacts: Integrated circuit, computer, nuclear power, digital camera © 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association STEM  Center for Teaching and Learning™ Foundations of Technology