The document outlines the historical development of science and technology from ancient to modern times, highlighting contributions from various civilizations including the Sumerians, Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Chinese. It details significant inventions such as the wheel, irrigation systems, writing technologies, the printing press, and modern innovations like the telephone and pasteurization. The text illustrates how social needs and challenges spurred technological advancements throughout history.

1. HISTORICAL ANTECEDENTS IN
WHICH SOCIAL CONSIDERATIONS
CHANGED THE COURSE OF SCIENCE
AND
TECHNOLOGY
IN THE WORLD: ANCIENT, MIDDLE AND MODERN
AGES
Gavin Ellis Malala

2. INTRODUCTION
Science comes from the Latin word scientia, meaning “knowledge”.
It refers to a systematic and methodical activity of building and
organizing knowledge about how the universe behaves through
observation, experimentation or both.
Technology, for its part, is the application of scientific knowledge,
laws, and principles to produce services, materials, tools, and
machines aimed at solving real-world problems. It comes from the
Greek root word techne
meaning “art, skill, or cunning of hand”.

3. IN THE WORLD

4. ANCIENTTIMES
1. SUMERIAN CIVILIZATION
4500 – 1900 BC
• Sumeria is located on the southernmost tip
of ancient Mesopotamia between the Tigris
and Euphrates rivers in the area later
became Babylonia, Sumerians, are known
for their high degree of cooperation with
one another and their desire for great
things. They are not contented with the
basic things that life can offer. This desire
pushed them to develop many things
connected with science and technology.

5. ANCIENTTIMES
• CUNIEFORM
One of the major contributions of the
Sumerians is the development of the first
writing system known as cuneiform. It is a
system that utilizes word pictures and
triangular symbols which are carved on clay
using wedge instruments and then left to
dry. Cuneiform allowed the Sumerians to
keep records of things with great historical
value or their everyday life. It is also one
way of passing their traditions, cultures,
and their legacy.
The Sumerians invented writing,
for which they used sharp reeds
to create wedge-like markings on
clay tablets.

6. ANCIENTTIMES
• URUK CITY
Another important contribution of
the Sumerian is the City of Uruk. It is a
great wonder not only because it is
considered to be the first true city in the
world but also for the way it was erected.
The Sumerians were able to build the
city using only mud or clay from the river,
which they mixed with reeds, producing
sunbaked bricks. They used the bricks to
make houses that protected them from
the harsh weather and to build a wall
around the city that prevented wild
animals and neighboring raiders from
entering.

7. ANCIENTTIMES
• THE GREAT ZIGGURAT OF UR
Another engineering and
architectural feat of the
Sumerians is the Great Ziggurat of
Ur. The Ziggurat, also called the
mountain of God, was built in the
same manner that they
constructed the City of Uruk. The
Ziggurat served as the sacred
place of their chief god, where
only priest was allowed to enter.

8. ANCIENTTIMES
• IRRIGATION AND DIKES
As population increase, so did the
demand for food. The Sumerians were
challenged to produce items but the
elements in the environment seemed
uncooperative. It was difficult to get water
from the rivers, thus they could not
maintain farmlands. Some groups had
scarce water supply, while others had
problems with flooding caused by the
river. As a solution to this dilemma, the
Sumerians created dikes and irrigation
canals to bring water to farmlands and at
the same time control the flooding of the
rivers. This
method was considered as one of the
world’s most beneficial engineering
works.

9. ANCIENTTIMES
• SAIL BOATS
Another challenge to the Sumerians was
transportation. At that time, the wheel was not
yet invented; the main mode of the
transportation was through water ways such as
rivers and seas. Boats were used to carry large
quantities of products and were able to cover
large distances. However, they wanted to discover
faraway lands to settle since the population was
getting larger, and boats were not enough to
accommodate more people and products. They
needed a mode of transportation that did not
require much human resource. Some resources
attribute to the Sumerians the invention of
sailboats to address their increasing demands.
Sailboats were essential in transportation and
trading as well as in fostering culture,
information, and technology.

10. ANCIENTTIMES
• WHEEL
In the latter part of their history, the
Sumerians were able to invent the wheel
since the specialized tools needed to create
it were already available. The first wheels
were not made for transportation but for
farm work and food process. With the use
of the wheel and axel, mass production was
made easier.
Farmers were able to mill grains with less
effort in less time.

11. ANCIENTTIMES
• THE PLOW
Another farm technology invented by the
Mesopotamians is the plow. The plow
was invented to dig the land in a faster
pace. As the plow beaks the ground, the
farmer would just drop the seeds and
farm work would already be done.

12. ANCIENTTIMES
• ROADS
In order to facilitate faster and easier
travel, the Sumerians developed the
first roads. With this work, the flow of
traffic became faster and more
organized. They made the roads with
the same technology they used in
making sunbaked bricks that they laid
down on the ground. The Sumerians
does not have any degree in
engineering or in architecture, but
they were able to build buildings,

13. ANCIENTTIMES
The Sumerians does not have any
degree in engineering or in
architecture, but they were able
to build buildings, roads,
infrastructure and many more
that are still solid at stable until
now.

14. ANCIENTTIMES
2. BABYLONIAN CIVILIZATION
• Babylonian civilization emerged near the
Tigris and Euphrates river. The Babylonians
were great builders, engineers, and
architects. Water brings food for them,
brings energy and beauty, and it also
enable them to travel from one place to
another. With the use of river, they are able
to exchange their goods to other places
and they can also use it to conquer and also
to escape.

15. ANCIENTTIMES
• One of the major contributions is the
hanging garden of Babylon, one of the
seven wonders of the ancient world.
Today, people can only marvel at the
beauty of the famous Hanging Gardens
of Babylon form the stories of the
historians and paintings that portray the
place. It was said to be a structure made
up of layers upon layers of gardens that
contained several species of plants,
trees, and vines. However, no physical
evidence has been found to prove the
existence of the Hanging Gardens of
Babylon. Its exact location is unknown.

16. ANCIENTTIMES
3. EGYPTIAN
CIVILIZATIO
N
Another early civilization famous for
its legacy is the Egyptian civilization
located in North Africa. Many stories
tell about the engineering feats of the
Egyptian especially regarding
infrastructures established by the
Pharaohs.

17. ANCIENTTIMES
• PAPER OR PAPYRUS
Aside from the Sumerians, Egyptians
also developed a system of writing, they
were able to make writing easier for the
world. Before, they are using tables
made from clay tablets but they find it
fragile, heavy, and delicate to handle.
Hence, the Egyptian invention of paper
or papyrus was a welcome
development. They were able to process
the plant in order to produce thin sheets
on which one could write down things.

18. ANCIENTTIMES
• INK
When Egyptians invented the
papyrus or the paper,
engraving ceased to be used in
writing. As a result, the
Egyptians invented ink by
combining soot with different
chemicals to produce inks of
different colors.

19. ANCIENTTIMES
• HEIROGLYPHICS
Like Sumerians, the Egyptians also developed a
system of writing using symbols, known as
hieroglyphics.
Although some say that hieroglyphics was adapted
from the early writing system established in
Mesopotamia as a result of trade between
civilizations of the Egyptians believed that this
writing systems was
provided to them by their gods.
Their way of writing is also the root cause why
many scientists are confused about their history.
Hieroglyphics is not just an ordinary writing of text,
but it is also consisting of many different symbols
and illustrations that may lead the scientist to
misinterpretation of data or meaning.
Hieroglyphics was the language that tells the
modern world of the history and culture of the
ancient Egyptians. Their records were well-

20. ANCIENTTIMES
• COSMETICS AND WIG
Egyptians wore kohl around the eyes
to prevent and even cure eye
diseases. Kohl was created by mixing
soon or malachite with mineral
galena.

21. ANCIENTTIMES
• COSMETICS AND WIG
Another cosmetic invention of ancient
Egyptian is the wig. Nowadays, wig are
used to enhance the appearance of
people who are balding or those who
want to try new hair trends. Meanwhile,
during the ancient Egyptian times, they
were used for health and wellness rather
than for aesthetic purposes. They used it
to cover their head from the harmful rays
of the sun.

22. ANCIENTTIMES
4. GREEK CIVILIZATION
Greece is an archipelago in the southeastern part of Europe.
This makes their country difficult to conquer since it is an
archipelago, they can hide or ambush the enemy from
various island. Europe is known as the birth place of western
philosophy, some of the major achievements of the Greeks
include in-depth works on philosophy and mathematics.
Greek civilization has contributed much to the world
especially in the fields of science and technology.
The first proponents of an atomic theory were the Greek
philosophers Leucippus and Democritus in the field of
science and on the field of math they have Pythagoras who
was perhaps the first to realize that a complete system of
mathematics could be constructed and later called
Pythagorean Theorem

23. ANCIENTTIMES
• ALARM CLOCK
One of the most utilized gadgets
today was invented by ancient
Greeks is the alarm clock.
Although the alarm clock during
that time does not resembles the
present day clocks, the purpose
was just the same – to tell an
individual when to stop or when
to start.

24. ANCIENTTIMES
5. ROMAN
CIVILIZATION
The Roman Empire was perceived to be
the strongest political social entity in the
west.

25. ANCIENTTIMES
• The following are the inventions and innovations of the Roman
Empire:
1. Newspaper
2. Bound Books or Codex
3. Roman Architecture
4. Roman Numerals

26. ANCIENTTIMES
6. CHINESE CIVILIZATION
THE Chinese civilization is considered
the oldest civilization in Asia, if not the
world. Also known as the Middle
Kingdom. China is located on the far
east of Asia. It was very famous among
the other ancient civilization because of
its silk trade.

27. ANCIENTTIMES
The following are the contributions of Chinese civilization to the
world:
1. Silk Industry
2. Tea production
3. Worlds famous Great wall of China
4. Gun powder

28. MEDIEVAL/MIDDLE AGES
The start of the middle ages was
marred by massive invasions and
migrations. Wars were prevalent
during this time. As such, great
technology was needed in the field
of weaponry, navigation, mass food
and farm production, and health.
Most innovative minds came from
this period to control the increase
of trade and commerce among
nations.

29. MEDIEVAL/MIDDLE AGES
1. PRINTING PRESS
Johann Gutenberg was able to invent
the printing press, a more reliable way
of printing using a cast type.
This general invention soon evolved to
be the mechanical printing press which
was eventually used all over the world.
The printing press was invented to
address the need for publishing
books that would spread
information to many people at a
faster rate.

30. MEDIEVAL/MIDDLE AGES
2. MICROSCOPE
Growing population is caused by massive migration
and urbanization during the period. More and more
people are transferred to polluted and populated
urban areas which resulted in more people getting
sick and needing medical attention.
To develop the proper medicines for the illness,
experts must understand the sickness through
investigation that is why they invented this device to
magnify the small things that are invisible to the
naked eye.
Two Dutch spectacle-makers and father-and-son
team, Hans and Zacharias Janssen, create the first
microscope. (1590)

31. MEDIEVAL/MIDDLE AGES
3. TELESCOPE
Since the Middle Ages was also known as the age
of exploration, the need for nautical inventions
was high. Considering the vast and empty oceans
that separated lands, ship captains needed to see
far and wide for them to navigate or avoid dangers
at sea.
The first person to apply for a patent for a
telescope was Dutch eyeglass maker Hans
Lippershey (or Lipperhey).

32. MEDIEVAL/MIDDLE AGES
. 4. WAR WEAPON
Since wars were widespread during the
Middle Ages, great development in the
weaponry technology also occurred. One
of the keys to gain victory during this
time are well crafted bows, spears, even
armors which are used in the close range
hand-to-hand combat and for open-area
battles

33. MODERN TIMES
▪ The booming world population during the
nineteenth century onwards demanded that more
goods be produced at a faster rate. People
needed efficient means of transportation to trade
more goods and cover a larger distance.
▪ Machines that required animals to operate must
thus be upgrade. Faster and easier means to
communicate and compute should be developed
to establish connections between and among
nations. Because of these, the birth of various
industries takes place.
▪ However, due to massive industrialization, the
modern times again faced more complicated
problems.

34. MODERN TIMES
• Pasteurization
▪ The challenge to keep manufactured from
deteriorating was greater for dairy products,
especially milk, since they usually spoiled
faster. If this food is not consumed
immediately after the production, it might
lead to food poisoning, diphtheria, and
typhoid fever.
▪ Louise Pasteur, a French biologist,
microbiologist, and chemist, found a way to
solve the problem. He invented
pasteurization, the process of heating dairy
products to kill the harmful bacteria that
allow to spoil faster.
▪ Through this process, milk could be stored
and

35. MODERN TIMES
• Petroleum Refinery
▪ Samuel M. Kier was able to
invent kerosene by refining
petroleum.
▪ Kerosene was later on referred to
as the “illuminating oil” because it
was used at first to provide
lighting to homes.
▪ After some time, it was applied
for heating purpose.
▪ Nowadays, kerosene is still
present as still used by many
people for powering automobiles,
factories, and power plants

36. MODERN TIMES
• Telephone
What do you think is the first word ever
spoken on the telephone?
It is “Mr. Watson, come here. I want to see
you”
Alexander Graham Bell invented the
telephone and it was on of the most
important inventions at that time.
But before, the connection is very limited,
the commoners cannot afford to buy one
Nowadays, telephones are one of the
necessities in this fast-changing world.
Millennials can no longer live without it
according to time magazine.

37. MODERN TIMES
• Calculator
Although an earlier version of the calculator had already
been developed, circumstances in the modern times
required a faster way to compute mire complicated
equations.
The creation of modern-day calculator did not only pave
the way for easier arithmetic calculations, but also
resulted in the development of more complex processing
machines like computer.

38. END
Activity:
Research for Technological advancements in the Philippines during these periods.
Stone and Bronze age
Pre-Spanish
Spanish
American
Japanese
Modern

39. STONE AND BRONZE AGE

40. PRE-SPANISH

41. SPANISH

42. AMERICAN

43. JAPANESE

44. MODERN

76. OUTPUT #1
• PHOTO COLLAGE CHALLENGE!
“YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW”
MAKE A COLLAGE OF PICTURES FROM THE INVENTIONS FROM THE ANCIENT TIMES,
MODERN AGES AND SOME POSSIBLE INVENTIONS IN THE FUTURE.
WRITE A SHORT DESCRIPTION ABOUT YOUR COLLAGE.