Lesson 2: History of Science and Technology

Human societies have always used technology. Early on, simple tools like fire, stone tools, and farming techniques appeared (around 10,000–5,000 BC) and transformed nomadic tribes into settled communities. The invention of the wheel and writing (in Mesopotamia and Egypt) around 3000 BC enabled trade and record-keeping. Ancient science began as observations of nature and mathematics (e.g. astronomical calendars in the Philippines and Asia). Medieval innovations include the compass, papermaking, and later, the printing press. In the Philippine context, pre-colonial Filipinos built the Banaue Rice Terraces (an engineering marvel) and excelled in shipbuilding (balangay boats) to thrive on islands. These achievements show early links between practical needs (like agriculture, navigation) and technological solutions.

The Scientific Revolution (16th–17th centuries) was a period when figures like Copernicus, Galileo, and Newton transformed how people understood nature (astronomy, physics). Science became more systematic. Closely following was the Industrial Revolution (late 18th–19th centuries): inventions like the steam engine, textile looms, and electricity dramatically changed production and society. Factories grew, cities expanded, and transportation (railroads, steamships) connected regions. Science (thermodynamics, chemistry) drove these tech advances. This era laid the groundwork for our modern scientific worldview and mechanized economy. For example, Philippine society was affected by steamships and telegraphs introduced in the 19th century, linking it to global trade (e.g., the Manila-Acapulco galleon earlier, and later telegraph lines under colonial rule).