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STS Module 2B Ancient Time (ACQUIRE)

The document discusses the historical development of science and technology in ancient civilizations. It describes how the development of agriculture led to settled societies like the Mesopotamians and Egyptians who invented early writing systems. Technologies progressed with the use of bronze, copper, and later iron. Prominent ancient civilizations included the Greeks, known for early philosophy and rational thought, and the Romans, focused on practical applications like engineering. Overall the document outlines the emergence of intellectual activities and early forms of science in ancient societies tied initially to religion and tradition.

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198 views4 pages

STS Module 2B Ancient Time (ACQUIRE)

The document discusses the historical development of science and technology in ancient civilizations. It describes how the development of agriculture led to settled societies like the Mesopotamians and Egyptians who invented early writing systems. Technologies progressed with the use of bronze, copper, and later iron. Prominent ancient civilizations included the Greeks, known for early philosophy and rational thought, and the Romans, focused on practical applications like engineering. Overall the document outlines the emergence of intellectual activities and early forms of science in ancient societies tied initially to religion and tradition.

Uploaded by

Grace
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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STS

STSModule
MODULE2-A
2B

I. Topic: Historical Development in Science and Technology: Ancient Time

Images from www.realmofhistory.com

II. Objectives

After reading and doing the tasks in this module, you should be able to
A. Describe the technology and its development during the ancient time
B. Identify the characteristics of what is considered science in the ancient period
C. Name some prominent ancient technologies and the people behind them
D. Make a diagram showing the primary drivers of ancient science and technology

III. Introduction
In the previous lesson it was emphasized how a slow changing pre-historic society reflects
on the development of technology and vice versa. It also showed how farming, an entirely new
technology ultimately changed the pre-historic society. This module presents another historical
framework, the ancient period. The development of ancient science and technology presents
another perspective in STS.

IV. Discussion

The development of agriculture during the Neolithic period ended the nomadic lifestyle of
the prehistoric societies. Settlements in rich agricultural lands became the base of the ancient
civilizations like the Mesopotomian (7000 BCE) and Egyptian (3000 BCE) civilizations. These
societies were built on organized governance, used bronze and copper in their tools, and invented
writing systems. The Mesopotamian invented the cuneiform, a system of writing which marked
the start of the ancient period. The Egyptian on the other hand has a unique coding system called
hieroglyphics. The two writing systems are shown in figure 1. Hieroglyphics use figures to
represent information while cuneiform used wedge like symbols. Both civilizations had irrigation
systems that enabled food sustainability to their people. Another characteristic of these
civilizations is their understanding of the universe .Their understanding of the motion of the
heavenly bodies enabled them to develop calendars. Their knowledge system however revolved
around their faith. Egyptian’s regard to their rulers as gods influenced even their architectural and
engineering designs.
The use of iron furthered the development during the ancient period. Iron became the
primary material in agricultural technology and weaponry. Iron increased agricultural production
and bolstered commerce. More trade routes were established between societies but conflicts and
Figure 1 : Ancient writing systems

Heiroglyph Cuneiform

images from www.brittanica

wars would also erupt. Wars made civilizations rise and fall in the ancient period. Some
civilizations became dominant like that of the Greeks and the Romans.
The Greek civilization (1200 BCE) is credited for the emergence of philosophy, arts and
other disciplines. Their system of writing is the alphabet which was developed by the Polynesians.
The Greeks’ understanding of the universe is not tied up with their religion or traditional beliefs.
For the Greeks, the universe is governed by principles and not by some mystical beings. These
principles however are grounded on logic and not with what can be verified by observations. The
Greeks valued knowledge for its own sake and not just for its practical application. This Greek’s
attitude towards knowledge enabled science to emerge.

The Roman Civilization (700 BCE) was greatly influenced by the Greeks. Their intellectual
and technological activities however were focused on what has practical applications. The
Romans excelled in applied science like engineering and architecture, building roads, aqueducts
and arches. They also excelled in their military technology both in weapons and tactics, enabling
them to conquer vast territories and establish an empire. When the western Roman empire fell in
400 AD, Europe entered the medieval period.

For further learning watch “Ancient Greek Technology” at


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnTWppUrzY4
V. Summary

People in the ancient period were no longer pre-occupied by day to day survival
activities like the pre-historic people. New social needs emerged in the ancient civilizations
and technology kept up with it. What is notable in this era is the emergence of intellectual
activities that eventually led to science. What could be science then was tied up to religion and
traditional beliefs at first, then it became logical and rational, and then to what is practical. One
more thing, what could be considered as science then had no clear association yet with
technological development.

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