Lecture 2: Early Technologies Flashcards
What is Technology?
A system that leads to the production of predetermined products.
Examples: Cars, Planes, Computers, Rockets, and etc.
Can Technology be visible or not?
Yes, it can be invisible or visible.
Examples: Utility tools are visible but education is invisible
When was technology born?
Technology existed during the Prehistoric Age (before 3200 BC) in Africa.
What specific region in Africa?
Great Rift Valley
What is the oldest form of technology?
The Oldowan tools also known as “flake” tools existed in the form in 2.5 million years to 1.5 million years ago.
What materials is the Oldowan tool made of and was their standardization?
The Oldowan tool is composed of obsidian, basalt, and quartz. However, the standardization of the tool wasn’t precise, as the shape and size of the tool varied during mass production.
Who was the first early humide species to produce the Oldowan tool?
The first earliest humide species to produce the Oldowan tool is the Australopithecus. Lucy was the first to be found among her species.
What was the next transition from Oldowan tools?
Acheulean tools also known as “core tools” would be the next predetermined product from 1.5 million to 100,000 years ago.
Which tool was more common and familiar throughout the Americas in the Prehistoric age?
The Archeulean tool was the most common and familiar tool across the Americas.
Was the Acheulean tool more complex and standardized that it’s predecessor?
Yes, the Acheulean tool was more complex and standardized than it’s predecessor.
Who developed the Acheulean tool?
The Homo Erectus
What was the Acheulean tool made of?
The Acheulean tool was made of flint due to its sharpness.
What was the next invention that made an impact on society biologically?
A million years ago, the invention of fire led to a special protein that increase the size of the brain.
Describe the process on the creation of the Homo sapiens.
The use of the stone tools (Oldowan tools or Acheulean tool) led to the hunt of animals to the use of heat to process the meat.
The invention of stone age tools and abstract thinking led to…
It led to the Homo sapiens to become natural survivalist under harsh environments.
Despite the inventions that made an impact biologically, what other form of technology was introduced?
The other form of technology introduced the abstract of thinking. This led to the birth of invisible technology.
Why is agriculture significant in the history of technology?
It was considered the greatest era of technology, as this led to the aftermath of the Stone Age tools and abstract thinking.
Where was agriculture discovered?
It was discovered in a utopia called, Mesopotamia
Why was Mesopotamia considered a utopia?
Due to the microclimate, the production of crops was growing exponentially.
How and when did the domestication of animals occur?
The domestication of animals occur when humans were producing garbage and this originated c. 7,500 BC.
What was the fundamentally important shift from the domestication of animals?
The shift from the phrase: “eat when you catch it” to “save the best for the next year” would result in the 2% surplus.
How does agriculture make an impact on humans?
The impact of agriculture resulted in humans to divide among themselves to create a society.
How did the humans define society in agriculture?
There are four terms:
- Division of Labour: collective group of individuals
- Specialization: certain individuals that can specialize in making the product
- Political Elite: An individual that controls the resources and labourers
- First Towns: Creates a social hierarchy and settlement
What is the oldest first town?
The oldest first town is the Çatalhöyük, c. 7,000 BC. It is one of the oldest town that has a population of 6,000.
What does agriculture result in standardization?
Led to housing (mud bricks), construction, and ruled by political elites.
What was unique about the structure of the Çatalhöyük?
The structure of the Çatalhöyük is compacted between each household that conserves both energy and community.
What was the greatest invention during the era of agriculture?
The plow
Why was the invention of the plow significant?
The plow is significant because it was invented in a shorter span of time and introduce the first civilizations, cities, and monuments.
Who was the first civilization?
The Sumerians
How did the Sumerians achieve this status role?
They achieve this status because they developed numerous technologies that would become an inspiration to the Egyptians.
What are the examples of the technologies that the Sumerians created?
Physical/Invisible technologies:
- They created large structures such as the ziggurats that are similar to a pyramid.
- Irrigation that prevents the occurrence of floods.
- mathematics, engineering, labour organization, measurement system, and centralized project management
What city introduced bureaucracy and armies?
The Uruk in c. 4,000 BC.
What is bureaucracy and armies?
- Bureaucracy is similar to a government, leading to the result of lawyers
- Armies that defend the interest and wealth of the city.
Why was the creation of the ziggurats needed?
- It introduces the impact of religion since the Sumerians believed that having a deity is necessary for further protection.
- A surplus of resources that would be managed by the priests in the temple
What problem arises when the population grows in Uruk?
The priests are unable to keep track when the population is more than hundreds of thousands.
How does the priests in the temple address the problem?
They invented a form of writing in 3200 BC. These writing are recorded in clay tablets in the language, Cuneiform.
What does the Cuneiform introduce?
It introduces the symbols of math, alphabets, lores such as the Epic code of Gilgamesh c. 2000 BC, and Hammurabi’s Babylonian Law code (c. 1700 BC)
What other inventions did the Sumerians introduce?
- Introduce the concept of time such as the clock and calendar
- The wheel c. 4,000 BC
- Form armies and armoury
What metals did Sumerians discovered?
- Gold C. 6,000 BC
- Copper C. 5,000 BC
- Silver C. 4,000 BC
- Bronze C. 3,000 BC (Smelting of Copper and Tin)
Why is the Bronze Age (C. 3,000 BC) unique?
The Sumerians were able to manipulate nature in a molecular level
What was unique about the Egyptians?
- Their base of operation due to their geography
- Had more security due to the harsh environment of the desert
- Direct Access to the Nile
What invention was used for the nile?
- They created sail ships as a method of transportation
- Nilometer that measures the height level of the Nile including star observations
What was the advantage of the Nile?
- Great method for transportation
- It was a source of agriculture as it brings water and new soil to establish topsoil
- Predict the events of floods
Why were the Egyptians cleverer than the Sumerians in terms of irrigation?
When dry seasons are approaching, the Egyptians developed trenches and canals to store water.
What did the creation of the pharaoh (c. 3,200 BC) establish?
Created a centralized government that controls a centralized granary as currency. The surplus of food would be funds to create pyramids
Describe the progression of design of pyramids?
- New - Mastaba (C. 3,100 BC): Similar to modern bunkers but was built as tomb chambers
- New tomb by Imhotep (2,650 BC): Extended the Mastabas thus creating the step pyramid
- Sneferu’s pyramid (2613 BC): The “bent pyramid”
- The great pyramid of Giza Khufu (Cheops) (2,500 BC)
No slaves - only paid workers
C. 20 years by 20,000 men
2.4 million blocks would weight 1.5 ton each
How were the blocks delivered to the top of the pyramid?
Many historians believed in the great ramp theory but according to Dr. Lech, it is possible that the Egyptians established earth ramps.
Describe the stages of mummification.
- First Stage: Removal of liquidized brain by bronze hook
- Second Stage: Internal organs removed except for the heart
How does Ancient Egypt control their society?
- From star observations such as the solar eclipse to use as religious purposes and predict the flood.
- When there is a flood, the government will pay their workers to build the pyramid.
Was Egyptian as technologically advanced as is generally believed?
No, the Egyptians were too fixated on the construction of pyramids such that the resources could’ve been invested elsewhere (1). The Sumerians brought ideas that inspired Egyptians to mimic their inventions (2). Lastly, the Egyptians were stuck with the concept of afterlife (3).
