Unit 5: Science, Technology & The Economy Parts 1 & 2 Flashcards
The Urban Revolution
Took place around 4000 BC, resulting in the development of the first civilizations (Mesopotamia and Egypt).
Technological advancements were needed in the field of farming , to meet the needs of expanding urbanization, improvement in water management, and record writing.
The Industrial Revolution
Started in England in the period from 1760 to 1820 - 1840. Automated manufacturing replaced the organism as a source of economic growth.
Society started moving away from agriculture and towards mass-production.
Thomas Newcomen
Inventor of the steam engine, which could transform thermal energy to mechanical kinetic energy.
James Watt developed Newcomen’s idea by increasing the engine’s efficiency, such that it could drive a variety of industrial machines.
Effects of the Industrial Revolution on Society
Family migrated from the rural villages dependent on water mills to large factory units.
Traditional skills of craftsmen were being lost, being over-taken by mass-production.
Approximately 1760, it became customary to bring the workers into factories and monitor them.
Entrepreneurs were actively seeking technology which could help them step up production + reduce overhead costs, to compete with foreign markets.
The Industrial Revolution’s Effects on Land and Sea Transport
Within approx. 100 years of the industrial revolution, long-distance travel became faster, more punctual and reliable.
1804: First locomotive
1806: First paddle steamship
These facilitated commercial transport and were made possible due to technological advancements in the iron industry.
The Industrial Revolution’s Effects on Europe’s Overseas Empire
The developments in transport technology made it possible for European entrepreneurs to import colonial raw materials, which could be transformed into commodities.
These were bought by European consumers or exported to foreign markets to make profit.
The Status of the Scientist after the Industrial Revolution
The term ‘scientist’ was conceived in 1833. Up to then, scientists were known to be natural philosophers.
Science was a hobby rather than a profession, but this changed in the 19th and 20th century which saw the founding of institutes of higher education in science and technology in many countries.
Governments started administering research grants, scientists were given awards and special posts.
Gender Equality
Traditionally, women were only assigned roles related to child baring and taking care of the family.
Gender roles are still ascribed in society, even if in a more indirect and subtle way. Many women have contributed towards the development of science, however there is a lack of exposure.
In the past, women were asked to resign from their posts within the government upon marriage.
The 20th Century
This is the time when science acted as a spur for technology.
Today, rather than possessing territories, most developed countries are interested in dominating the largest number of markets in a globalized world.
Post-war, mechanical modes of production started being substituted by highly robotized and computer-programmed ones, eliminating the more expensive jobs that were once carried out by millions of machine operators.
The Manhattan Project
The development of the atomic bomb by the USA in conjunction with Britain and Canada.
