Lecture 2: Early Technologies

Question 1

What is Technology?

Answer 1

A system that leads to the production of predetermined products.

Examples: Cars, Planes, Computers, Rockets, and etc.

Question 2

Can Technology be visible or not?

Answer 2

Yes, it can be invisible or visible.

Examples: Utility tools are visible but education is invisible

Question 3

When was technology born?

Answer 3

Technology existed during the Prehistoric Age (before 3200 BC) in Africa.

Question 4

What specific region in Africa?

Answer 4

Great Rift Valley

Question 5

What is the oldest form of technology?

Answer 5

The Oldowan tools also known as “flake” tools existed in the form in 2.5 million years to 1.5 million years ago.

Question 6

What materials is the Oldowan tool made of and was their standardization?

Answer 6

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.

Question 7

Who was the first early humide species to produce the Oldowan tool?

Answer 7

The first earliest humide species to produce the Oldowan tool is the Australopithecus. Lucy was the first to be found among her species.

Question 8

What was the next transition from Oldowan tools?

Answer 8

Acheulean tools also known as “core tools” would be the next predetermined product from 1.5 million to 100,000 years ago.

Question 9

Which tool was more common and familiar throughout the Americas in the Prehistoric age?

Answer 9

The Archeulean tool was the most common and familiar tool across the Americas.

Question 10

Was the Acheulean tool more complex and standardized that it’s predecessor?

Answer 10

Yes, the Acheulean tool was more complex and standardized than it’s predecessor.

Question 11

Who developed the Acheulean tool?

Answer 11

The Homo Erectus

Question 12

What was the Acheulean tool made of?

Answer 12

The Acheulean tool was made of flint due to its sharpness.

Question 13

What was the next invention that made an impact on society biologically?

Answer 13

A million years ago, the invention of fire led to a special protein that increase the size of the brain.

Question 14

Describe the process on the creation of the Homo sapiens.

Answer 14

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.

Question 15

The invention of stone age tools and abstract thinking led to…

Answer 15

It led to the Homo sapiens to become natural survivalist under harsh environments.

Question 16

Despite the inventions that made an impact biologically, what other form of technology was introduced?

Answer 16

The other form of technology introduced the abstract of thinking. This led to the birth of invisible technology.

Question 17

Why is agriculture significant in the history of technology?

Answer 17

It was considered the greatest era of technology, as this led to the aftermath of the Stone Age tools and abstract thinking.

Question 18

Where was agriculture discovered?

Answer 18

It was discovered in a utopia called, Mesopotamia

Question 19

Why was Mesopotamia considered a utopia?

Answer 19

Due to the microclimate, the production of crops was growing exponentially.

Question 20

How and when did the domestication of animals occur?

Answer 20

The domestication of animals occur when humans were producing garbage and this originated c. 7,500 BC.

Question 21

What was the fundamentally important shift from the domestication of animals?

Answer 21

The shift from the phrase: “eat when you catch it” to “save the best for the next year” would result in the 2% surplus.

Question 22

How does agriculture make an impact on humans?

Answer 22

The impact of agriculture resulted in humans to divide among themselves to create a society.

Question 23

How did the humans define society in agriculture?

Answer 23

There are four terms:

1. Division of Labour: collective group of individuals
2. Specialization: certain individuals that can specialize in making the product
3. Political Elite: An individual that controls the resources and labourers
4. First Towns: Creates a social hierarchy and settlement

Question 24

What is the oldest first town?

Answer 24

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.

Question 24

What does agriculture result in standardization?

Answer 24

Led to housing (mud bricks), construction, and ruled by political elites.

Question 25

What was unique about the structure of the Çatalhöyük?

Answer 25

The structure of the Çatalhöyük is compacted between each household that conserves both energy and community.

Question 26

What was the greatest invention during the era of agriculture?

Answer 26

The plow

Question 27

Why was the invention of the plow significant?

Answer 27

The plow is significant because it was invented in a shorter span of time and introduce the first civilizations, cities, and monuments.

Question 28

Who was the first civilization?

Answer 28

The Sumerians

Question 29

How did the Sumerians achieve this status role?

Answer 29

They achieve this status because they developed numerous technologies that would become an inspiration to the Egyptians.

Question 30

What are the examples of the technologies that the Sumerians created?

Answer 30

Physical/Invisible technologies:

1. They created large structures such as the ziggurats that are similar to a pyramid.
2. Irrigation that prevents the occurrence of floods.
3. mathematics, engineering, labour organization, measurement system, and centralized project management

Question 31

What city introduced bureaucracy and armies?

Answer 31

The Uruk in c. 4,000 BC.

Question 32

What is bureaucracy and armies?

Answer 32

1. Bureaucracy is similar to a government, leading to the result of lawyers
2. Armies that defend the interest and wealth of the city.

Question 33

Why was the creation of the ziggurats needed?

Answer 33

1. It introduces the impact of religion since the Sumerians believed that having a deity is necessary for further protection.
2. A surplus of resources that would be managed by the priests in the temple

Question 34

What problem arises when the population grows in Uruk?

Answer 34

The priests are unable to keep track when the population is more than hundreds of thousands.

Question 35

How does the priests in the temple address the problem?

Answer 35

They invented a form of writing in 3200 BC. These writing are recorded in clay tablets in the language, Cuneiform.

Question 36

What does the Cuneiform introduce?

Answer 36

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)

Question 37

What other inventions did the Sumerians introduce?

Answer 37

1. Introduce the concept of time such as the clock and calendar
2. The wheel c. 4,000 BC
3. Form armies and armoury

Question 38

What metals did Sumerians discovered?

Answer 38

1. Gold C. 6,000 BC
2. Copper C. 5,000 BC
3. Silver C. 4,000 BC
4. Bronze C. 3,000 BC (Smelting of Copper and Tin)

Question 39

Why is the Bronze Age (C. 3,000 BC) unique?

Answer 39

The Sumerians were able to manipulate nature in a molecular level

Question 40

What was unique about the Egyptians?

Answer 40

1. Their base of operation due to their geography
2. Had more security due to the harsh environment of the desert
3. Direct Access to the Nile

Question 41

What invention was used for the nile?

Answer 41

1. They created sail ships as a method of transportation
2. Nilometer that measures the height level of the Nile including star observations

Question 42

What was the advantage of the Nile?

Answer 42

1. Great method for transportation
2. It was a source of agriculture as it brings water and new soil to establish topsoil
3. Predict the events of floods

Question 43

Why were the Egyptians cleverer than the Sumerians in terms of irrigation?

Answer 43

When dry seasons are approaching, the Egyptians developed trenches and canals to store water.

Question 44

What did the creation of the pharaoh (c. 3,200 BC) establish?

Answer 44

Created a centralized government that controls a centralized granary as currency. The surplus of food would be funds to create pyramids

Question 45

Describe the progression of design of pyramids?

Answer 45

1. New - Mastaba (C. 3,100 BC): Similar to modern bunkers but was built as tomb chambers
2. New tomb by Imhotep (2,650 BC): Extended the Mastabas thus creating the step pyramid
3. Sneferu’s pyramid (2613 BC): The “bent pyramid”
4. 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

Question 46

How were the blocks delivered to the top of the pyramid?

Answer 46

Many historians believed in the great ramp theory but according to Dr. Lech, it is possible that the Egyptians established earth ramps.

Question 47

Describe the stages of mummification.

Answer 47

1. First Stage: Removal of liquidized brain by bronze hook
2. Second Stage: Internal organs removed except for the heart

Question 48

How does Ancient Egypt control their society?

Answer 48

1. From star observations such as the solar eclipse to use as religious purposes and predict the flood.
2. When there is a flood, the government will pay their workers to build the pyramid.

Question 49

Was Egyptian as technologically advanced as is generally believed?

Answer 49

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).