Historical Antecedents to the Information Age – Vocabulary Flashcards

A vocabulary-style set of flashcards covering major terms, people, events, and concepts from ancient to modern science as presented in the notes.

Imhotep

Egyptian physician/administrator (c. 2650 BC) noted for advanced medical practices; example of early empirical medicine.

Papyrus

Ancient Egyptian writing material (ca. 3000 BC) that enabled storage and transfer of knowledge.

Thales

Early Greek thinker often regarded as a precursor to scientific reasoning; used observations to explain natural phenomena.

Pythagoras

Ancient Greek mathematician and philosopher who laid groundwork for scientific philosophy.

Plato’s Academy

Educational institution (founded around 385 BC) marking early scientific and philosophical exploration.

Aristotle

Greek philosopher whose works influenced early scientific method and empirical inquiry.

Islamic Golden Age

8th–14th centuries period of scientific, cultural, and economic growth in the Islamic world.

House of Wisdom

Baghdad institution that translated, preserved, and expanded classical knowledge in Arabic.

Harun al-Rashid

Abbasid caliph who supported the House of Wisdom and scholarly activity.

Al-Khwarizmi

Islamic mathematician whose work on algebra and trigonometry shaped mathematics.

Avicenna (Ibn Sina)

Muslim physician whose Canon of Medicine influenced medical science; described diseases like smallpox.

Al-Biruni

Islamic scholar contributing to multiple sciences during the Golden Age.

Ibn al-Haytham

Physicist/optician known for early work in optics and empirical methods.

Qibla

Direction of prayer; astronomy used to determine true Qibla in Islamic practice.

Four Great Inventions (China)

Compass, gunpowder, papermaking, and printing—key technologies shaping global development.

Compass (China)

Navigation tool that aided exploration and trade.

Gunpowder

Military technology from China that changed warfare and global expansion.

Papermaking (China)

Technology that improved record keeping and knowledge dissemination.

Printing (China)

Early printing methods that facilitated knowledge spread.

Renaissance

14th–17th century cultural rebirth in Europe; fostered science, art, and humanism.

Fall of Constantinople (1453)

Event that displaced scholars to Europe, aiding revival of classical learning.

Humanism

Intellectual movement emphasizing classical learning and human potential.

Copernicus

Astronomer who proposed a heliocentric model, shifting the view of the cosmos.

Vesalius

Anatomist who reformed human anatomy with De humani corporis fabrica (1543).

Leonardo da Vinci

Renaissance polymath whose studies spanned anatomy, engineering, and science.

Gutenberg Printing Press

Movable-type printing press (mid-15th century) that democratized book production.

Printing press impact

Spread of knowledge; facilitated the Reformation and Scientific Revolution.

Francis Bacon

Philosopher who championed empirical observation and the scientific method.

René Descartes

Rationalist philosopher who contributed analytical geometry and mechanistic views.

Isaac Newton

Key figure in physics and mathematics; formulates laws of motion and universal gravitation; Principia Mathematica (1687).

John Locke

Philosopher of empiricism and the tabula rasa concept on human understanding.

Voltaire

Enlightenment writer advocating freedom of speech, toleration, and secular governance.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Philosopher whose social contract ideas influenced democratic revolutions.

Denis Diderot

Co-editor of the Encyclopédie, compiling human knowledge for broad diffusion.

Enlightenment

18th-century movement valuing reason, empirical evidence, and secular inquiry.

Galileo Galilei

Pioneer of observational astronomy and scientific method; challenged Aristotelian views.

Johannes Kepler

Astronomer who refined planetary motion laws within a heliocentric framework.

Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz

Philosopher–scientist contributing to rationalism and early calculus.

Principia Mathematica

Newton’s foundational work outlining laws of motion and gravitation.

Jenner

Edward Jenner developed the smallpox vaccine, a milestone in immunology.

Lavoisier

Chemist who helped establish modern chemistry and the conservation of mass.

Spinning Jenny

18th-century textile machine that dramatically boosted yarn production.

Power Loom

Machine that mechanized weaving, increasing textile output.

Cotton Gin

Eli Whitney’s invention that sped the separation of cotton fibers from seeds.

Steam Engine

Power source driving industrial machinery; advanced by James Watt.

James Watt

Engineer who improved the steam engine, enabling industrial-scale power.

Steam Locomotive

Steam-powered train facilitating faster land transport.

Steamship

Steam-powered ships transforming maritime movement.

Telegraph

Long-distance communication system that transmitted signals rapidly.

Radio

Wireless communication technology enabling audio transmission over distances.

Metallurgy

Study of metals; development of stronger alloys for industry.

Aniline Dyes

Chemicals that revolutionized textile and material industries.

Thermodynamics

Study of heat, energy, and work; essential to engine design and industry.

Machine Tools

Machines like lathes, drills, and milling machines enabling mass production.

Wright Brothers

Orville and Wilbur Wright; first successful powered flight in 1903.

Big Bang

Leading explanation for the origin of the universe; universe expansion observed.

Hubble

Astronomer who provided evidence of cosmic expansion.

Dark Matter

Unknown matter inferred from gravitational effects on galaxies.

Dark Energy

Hypothetical energy driving the accelerated expansion of the universe.

DNA Double Helix

Structure of DNA revealed by Watson and Crick (1953); foundation of modern genetics.

Genomics

Map and study of the genome; advances in sequencing and biology.

CRISPR-Cas9

Gene-editing technology enabling precise DNA modifications.

Linus Pauling

Chemist known for work on chemical bonding and molecular structure.

Nanotechnology

Manipulation of materials at the nanoscale for advanced applications.

Higgs Boson

Particle confirmed in 2012; explains how particles acquire mass.

CERN

European Organization for Nuclear Research; forefront in particle physics.

Information Age

Era of information technology, computing, internet, and data-driven society.

Artificial Intelligence

Computing systems that perform tasks requiring human intelligence; ML and NLP.

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)

Tech that creates immersive digital experiences (VR) or overlays digital info on the real world (AR).

Internet of Things (IoT)

Network of connected devices collecting and exchanging data.

Industrial Revolution

Transition to industrialized economies with mass production, new energy and machinery.

Urbanization

Movement of populations into cities as factories and urban centers grow.

Labor Movement

Rise of labor unions and reforms addressing working conditions.

Conservation of Mass

Principle established by Lavoisier: mass remains constant in chemical reactions.

Scientific Revolution

Period of rapid scientific transformation laying the groundwork for modern science.