Lecture 7

Question 1

What was the role of Chinese innovation in early technology?

Answer 1

• The Chinese invented many foundational technologies, but their rigid social structures and worldview (government/religion) prevented rapid adoption.
• In China, rapid change was seen as creating imbalance, while in europe, it symbolizes progress

Question 2

What technological transfer occurred during the first crusade?

Answer 2

• European knights brought back books from Alexandria, rediscovering works by Archimeded, Aristotle, Plato, Pythagoras, and Heron of Alexandria.
• These texts revitalized European science and technology

Question 3

How did gunpowder technology transfer from China to Europe?

Answer 3

• Initially used in China for religious festivals (ex. rocketry)
• Adapted into weapons like pistols and large cannons
• Transferred to the Mongols, then Turks, who used it to break Constantinople, rendering medieval castles and knights obsolete

Question 4

Why was the printing press necessary in Europe?

Answer 4

• Demand for books surged due to the rediscovery of Greek knowledge and the church’s indulgence sales
• The Black Death wiped out monks/scribes, creating a need for faster book production

Question 5

What were the four essential components for printing, and which ones came from China?

Answer 5

• Paper: developed in China in the 1st century and brought to europe by the 11th century
• Fast-Drying Ink: Innovated by Gutenberg
• Reusable Type: Early examples in Korea
• Press: Already existed in Europe

Question 6

How did Gutenberg revolutionize printing technology?

Answer 6

• He created a movable type printing press in 1450, combining oil-based ink with a lead-tin alloy for reusable type.
• This innovation allowed books to be printed at scale

Question 7

What was the societal impact of the Gutenberg printing press

Answer 7

• Removed gatekeeping by the Catholic Church
• Enabled the mass dissemination if ideas, such as Martin Luther’s 95 Theses (1517), which fueled the Reformation and Protestantism
• Accelerated rediscovery of Alexandrian knowledge and scientific advancements

Question 8

What role did the printing press play in Protestantism and industrialization?

Answer 8

• Protestant ideals spread rapidly due to the printing press
• Robert Merton argued that Protestantism values (ex. Hard work and wealth as a sign if divine favour laid the groundwork for the Industrial Revolution)

Question 9

How did the printing press change knowledge dissemination?

Answer 9

• Before Gutenberg , texts were hand copied, limiting availability.
• By 1500, Europe went from 0 to 11 million printed books, fostering a scientific and technological renaissance

Question 10

How did Harold Innis describe the impact of the printing press?

Answer 10

In Empire and Communications, Innis highlighted how free access to knowledge, enabled by the printing press, diminished centralized control and allowed widespread intellectual growth