Technological Development

Technological Development Overview

  • Continuous Process

    • Technological development is a continuous process, not static.

    • Important stages of technological development have been identified throughout history.

    • These stages are not always “clear cut”; they include transition periods.

    • Each civilization progresses at different rates of development.

Historic Stages of Technological Development

  • Major Stages

    • Stone Age: Prior to 3000 BC

    • Bronze Age: 3000 BC to 1000 BC

    • Iron Age: 1000 BC to 400 AD

    • Middle Ages: 400 to 1350

    • Renaissance: 1350 to 1750

    • Industrial Revolution: 1750 to 1850

    • Atomic Age: 1940

    • Space Age: 1960

    • Information Age: 1980

    • Important Note: Dates are not necessary to study.

Levels of Technological Development

  • Three General Levels

    • The best method of identifying technological development within a society is via three general levels (categories):

    • Low

    • Intermediate

    • High

    • Divisions between categories are arbitrary.

    • A good understanding of mechanical technologies is necessary to clearly define these levels.

    • Access to High-Level Technology: Assertion is False; only low and intermediate levels are accessed by the majority.

Definitions of Core Concepts

  • Tool

    • Defined as an artifact used to supplement one’s ability to act on the physical world.

  • Machine

    • Defined as an object that modifies (multiplies or transfers) the force applied to it by a human, animal, or other machine.

  • Prime Mover

    • Defined as an ‘automatic’ machine that moves other machines without human or animal power.

Categories of Tools and Machines

  • Types of Tools

    • Natural Tools: Examples include rocks.

    • Adapted Tools: Examples include shaped stones.

    • Manufactured Tools: Examples include hooks and lines.

  • Basic Machines: There are six basic machine types:

    • Lever

    • Wheel & Axle (Gear Wheel)

    • Screw

    • Pulley

    • Inclined Plane

    • Wedge

  • Natural Force Prime Movers:

    • Examples include wind and water mills.

Technological Application and Users

  • Tools:

    • Modified or specialized low-level implements.

  • Machines:

    • Compound or complex machines combining two or more machines with interrelated parts and separate functions.

    • Historical examples include:

    • Electric motor (1821)

    • Steam engine (1698)

    • Internal combustion engine (1893)

    • Loom (3500 BC)

    • Majority of people use intermediate-level technology; this statement is True.

Technological Landscape in Society

  • Technology is prevalent primarily in a few, mostly Western societies.

  • Tools tend to use very little human or animal power and include handheld machines that are electrically, pneumatically, or hydraulically powered.

  • Machinery integrates hardware with software and represents the analytical, mathematical, and reasoning (problem-solving) capabilities and processes of the human mind.

  • The first true high-tech machine was the clock, which transformed culture dramatically.

Factors Influencing Technological Development

  • Key Influential Areas:

    • Education

    • Food Production: Essential for proper body function.

    • Political Structure: Important for maintaining order and preventing chaos.

    • Economics

    • Communication: Critical for information transfer.

    • Technology: Reflects our influence on the actual world.

Innovations in the U.S. (1880-1920)

  • Examples of Innovations:

    • Incandescent Light Bulb: Perfected by Thomas Edison in 1880.

    • Automobiles: First production by Karl Benz in Germany in 1888.

    • Texas Oil Boom: From 1901-1940, launched Texas to become a large-scale oil producer, leading the U.S. to overtake Russia in oil production.

Automotive Industry Development

  • Duryea Motor Wagon Company:

    • First U.S. auto manufacturer (1893).

  • Oldsmobile:

    • Achieved large-scale manufacturing by 1902.

  • Growth of Manufacturers: Hundreds tried auto manufacturing from 1880 to 1930.

    • Mass Production Principle: Perfected by Henry Ford to significantly increase production volumes and reduce costs.

The Motor-Cab's Introduction

  • Initial deployment of fifty motor-hansoms in London, with ongoing driver training.

  • Features of the motor-hansom include:

    • Larger dimensions compared to horse-drawn vehicles with more internal space.

    • Adjustable glass front for passenger comfort.

    • Storage options for luggage.

    • Utilization of astute engineering, including twelve-horsepower engines and lightweight materials (like aluminum) to reduce rear weight.

Economic Growth of the 1920s

  • Industries that Skyrocketed:

    • Automobile sales surged from 4,100 in 1900 to 3.7 million by 1925.

    • Significant advancements also occurred in movies, radio, and chemical production.

    • The 1920s saw mass production lead to urbanization and new infrastructure needs, supported by easy credit policies from the Federal Reserve.

Visual Data on Economic Trends

  • Industrial average data from 1920-1929 shows diverse historical landmarks like the Prohibition era and the advent of women's suffrage and radio stations.

  • Stock Market Boom: Associated with economic success and subsequent crash at the decade's end. — Important Events include:

    • The development of technological innovations coinciding with changes in economic fundamentals.

  • Technological Boom: Highlighting technology’s role in shaping industry and economy through distinct periods, like the Dot Com Era.

Oil Boom (2008)

  • Detailed price tracking of crude oil futures and NASDAQ performance.

    • Key Indicators:

    • Fluctuations in crude oil prices from June 1, 2007, to June 20, 2008.

    • Changes in the NASDAQ with pertinent economic implications during that period.