Transformative Forces of History: Historical Antecedents of Science and Technology

Vocabulary flashcards covering the key historical periods, scientific milestones, and technological transformations discussed in the lecture.

Prehistoric/Primitive Period

The historical period characterized as the time of "BIRTH", driven by awakening, awareness, and survival instincts.

Ancient Period

The historical period characterized as the time of individual "AWARENESS", curiosity, and individual identity.

Pre-Columbian Era

The historical era representing the meeting of the "OLD AND NEW WORLD".

Medieval/Middle Age

The historical period defined as the time of "FALL", conquest, and tribulation.

Renaissance

The historical era defined as the time of "REBIRTH & ENLIGHTENMENT", marked by expression beyond expectations and a golden age of arts and sciences.

Scientific Revolution

The historical period defined as the time of "SCIENTIFIC REASON", where science became an autonomous discipline distinct from philosophy and technology.

Industrial Revolution

The historical period defined as the time of accelerated "INNOVATION", involving the transition from an agrarian and handicraft economy to machine manufacturing.

Rostow's Development Model

A 5-stage model of economic growth progressing from Traditional Society, Preconditions for Take-off, Take-off, Drive to Maturity, to High-mass Consumption.

Palaeolithic Age

The Old Stone Age period.

Mesolithic Age

The Middle Stone Age period.

Neolithic Age

The New Stone Age period.

Bronze Metallurgy

The process of mining, smelting, and alloying copper ($\text{Cu}$) and tin ($\text{Sn}$) to form bronze.

River Civilizations

Early ancient civilizations built along bodies of water, characterized by strong political and religious power under a king, hierarchical social structures, and great artistic development.

Cuneiform

An ancient system of writing created on clay tablets in Mesopotamia to facilitate better communication.

Sexagesimal System

A base-$60$ mathematical and astronomical system developed in ancient times to map astronomy and interpret seasonal patterns.

The Columbian Exchange

The global exchange of crops, livestock, culture, human populations, communicable diseases, and technology between the Americas and the Afro-Eurasian hemisphere, coined by Alfred Crosby.

Plague Doctor

A medical practitioner during the Great Plague who wore a bird-beaked mask filled with aromatic herbs, a wide hat, leather gloves, and a waxed cloak to protect against infection and miasma.

Gutenberg's Printing Press

A Renaissance invention by Johannes Gutenberg that enabled mass information exchange and initiated the traditional form of newspapers.

Geocentric Theory

The ancient cosmological model formulated by Ptolemy and Aristotle asserting that Earth is the center of the universe.

Heliocentric Theory

The astronomical model proposed by Nicolaus Copernicus that shifted scientific view by placing the Sun at the center of the solar system.

Royal Society of London

An institution founded in $1662$ for Improving Natural Knowledge by gathering, examining, discussing, and criticizing new discoveries and old theories.

Scientific Method

A systematic empirical process consisting of Purpose, Research, Hypothesis, Experiment, Analysis, and Conclusion to establish factual and objective truth about nature.

First Industrial Revolution

The initial phase of industrialization driven by mechanisation, water power, and steam power.

Second Industrial Revolution

The phase of industrialization characterized by mass production, assembly lines, and electricity.

Third Industrial Revolution

The phase of industrialization characterized by computer technology and automation.

Fourth Industrial Revolution

The modern phase of industrialization characterized by cyber-physical systems, data monitoring, and the Internet of Things.