Cradles of Early Science

Lesson Outline no. 3

Lesson Objective
At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:
• analyze how scientific revolution is done in various parts of the world like in Latin America, East Asia, Middle
East, and Africa.
Concept 3.1 Development of Science in Mesoamerica
Mesoamerica includes the entire area of Central America from Southern Mexico up to the border of South America.
There is no doubt that the Mesoamerican region is rich in culture and knowledge prior to the arrival of its European
colonizers.
The Maya Civilization
• The Maya civilization is one of the famous civilizations that lasted for approximately 2,000 years. These people
are known for their works in astronomy.
• They incorporated their advanced understanding of astronomy into their temples and other religious
structures. This allows them to use their temples for astronomical observation. For example, the pyramid at
Chichén Itzá in Mexico is situated at the location of the Sun during the spring and fall equinoxes.
• Mayan knowledge and understanding about celestial bodies was advanced for their time, as evidenced by their
knowledge of predicting eclipse and using astrological cycles in planting and harvesting.
• The Mayans are also known for measuring time using two complicated calendar systems. These calendars were
very useful for their life especially in planning their activities and in observing their religious rituals and cultural
celebrations.
• The Mayans also developed the technology for growing different crops and building elaborate cities using
ordinary machineries and tools. They built hydraulics system with sophisticated waterways to supply water to
different communities.
• They used various tools and adapted themselves to innovations especially in the field of arts. The Mayans built
looms for weaving cloth and devised a rainbow of glittery paints made from a mineral called mica.
• They are also believed to be one of the first people to produce rubber products.
• The Mayans are considered one of the most scientifically advanced societies in Mesoamerica. They are also
famous as one of the world's first civilizations to use a writing system known as the Mayan hieroglyphics.
• They were also skilled in mathematics and created a number system based on the numeral 20. Moreover, they
independently developed the concept of zero and positional value, even before the Romans did.

The Inca Civilization

• The Incas made advanced scientific ideas considering their limitations as an old civilization. The following were
scientific ideas, and tools that they developed to help them in everyday life:
1. roads paved with stones
2. stone buildings that surmounted earthquakes and other disasters
3. irrigation system arid technique for storing water for their crops to grow in all types of land
4. calendar with 12 months to mark their religious festivals and prepare them for planting season
5. the first suspension bridge
6. quipu, a system of knotted ropes to keep records that only experts can interpret
7. Inca textiles since cloth was one of the specially prized artistic achievements

The Aztec Civilization

• The Aztec civilization has also made substantial contributions to science and technology and to the society as
a whole. Some of their contributions are the following:
1. Mandatory education. The Aztec puts value on education; that is why their children are mandated to
get education regardless of their social class, gender, or age. It is an early form of universal or inclusive
education.
2. Chocolates. The Aztec in Mexico developed chocolate during their time. In the Mayan culture, they used
it as currency. The Aztec valued the cacao beans highly and made it as part of their tribute to their gods.
3. Antispasmodic medication. They used a type of antispasmodic medication that could prevent muscle
spasms and relax muscles, which could help during surgery.
4. Chinampa. It is a form of Aztec technology for agricultural farming in which the land was divided into
rectangular areas and surrounded by canals.
5. Aztec calendar. This enabled them to plan their activities, rituals, and planting season.
6. Invention of the canoe. A light narrow boat used for traveling in water systems.
Concept 3.2 Development of Science in Asia
Asia is the biggest continent in the world and the home of many ancient civilizations. These civilizations were
incomparable in terms of their contributions to the development of knowledge during their time.

India
• India is a huge peninsula surrounded by vast bodies of water and fortified by huge mountains in its northern
boarders.
• The Indians creatively developed various ideas and technologies useful in their everyday lives. They are known
for manufacturing iron and in metallurgical works. Their iron steel is considered to be the best and held with
high regard in the whole of Roman Empire.
• India is also famous in medicine. For example, Ayurveda, a system of traditional medicine that originated in
ancient India before 2500 BC, is still practiced as a form of alternative medicine.
• They discovered some medicinal properties of plants that led them to develop medicines to cure various
illnesses. Some ancient texts, like the Susruta Samhita, describes different surgical and other medical
procedures famous in Ancient India.
• Ancient India is also notable in the field of astronomy. They developed theories on the configuration of the
universe, the spherical self-supporting Earth, and the year of 360 days with 12 equal parts of 30 days each. Their
interest in astronomy was also evident in the first 12 chapters of the Siddhanta Shiromani, written in the 12th
century.
• Ancient India is also known for their mathematics. The earliest traces of mathematical knowledge in the Indian
subcontinent appeared in the Indus Valley Civilization. The people of this civilization tried to standardize
measurement of length to a high degree of accuracy and designed a ruler, the Mohenjodaro ruler.

China
• Chinese civilizations have greatly influenced many of its neighbor countries like Korea, Japan, Philippines,
Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, and other countries that belong to the old Silk Road.
• The Chinese are known for traditional medicines, a product of centuries of experiences and discovery of the
Chinese people. They discovered various medical properties and uses of different plants and animals to cure
human illness. An example is the practice of acupuncture.
• In terms of technology, the Chinese are known to develop many tools. Among the famous discoveries and
inventions of the Chinese civilizations were compass, papermaking, gunpowder, and printing tools that
became known in the West only by the end of the Middle Ages.
• They also invented other tools like iron plough, wheelbarrow, and propeller, among others. They developed a
design of different models of bridges, invented the first seismological detector, and developed a dry dock
facility.
• In the field of astronomy, the Chinese also made significant records on supernovas, lunar and solar eclipses,
and comets, which were carefully recorded and preserved to understand better the heavenly bodies and their
effects to our world. They observed the heavenly bodies to understand weather changes and seasons that may
affect their daily activities. They used lunar calendars, too.
• The Chinese are also known in seismology. This made them more prepared in times of natural calamities.

Middle East Countries

• With the spread of Islam in the 7th and 8th centuries, a period of Muslim scholarship, or what is called the
Golden Age of Islam lasted until the 13th century.
• The common language of Arabic, access to Greek texts from the Byzantine Empire, and their proximity to India
were contributory to the intellectualization of the Muslims and provided their scholars knowledge to create
innovations and develop new ideas.
• But contrary to the Greeks, Muslim scientists placed greater value on science experiments rather than plain-
thought experiments.
• What is now known as the Arabic Numeral System originally came from India, but Muslim mathematicians did
make several refinements to the number system, such as the introduction of decimal point notation.
• In the field of medicine, lbn Sina pioneered the science of experimental medicine and was the first physician to
conduct clinical trials. His two most notable works in medicine, the Book of Healing and The Canon of Medicine,
were used as standard medicinal texts in both the Muslim world and in Europe during the 17th century. Among
his many contributions are the discovery of the contagious nature of infectious diseases and the introduction
of clinical pharmacology.
Concept 3.3 Development of Science in Africa
Africa is blessed with natural and mineral resources. Science also emerged in this part of the planet long before
the Europeans colonized it.

• The history of science and mathematics show that similar to other ancient civilizations, the early civilizations
in Africa are knowledge producers, too.
• The development of geometry was a product of necessity to preserve the layout and ownership of farmlands of
the Egyptians living along the Nile River. The rules of geometry were developed and used to build rectilinear
structures, the post of lintel architecture of Egypt.
• The great structures of the Egyptian pyramids and the early dams built to divert water from the Nile River are
some proofs of their advanced civilization. These early science activities in Egypt were developed to improve
the quality of life of the Egyptians especially in building their early homes and cities.
• Egypt was known to be a center of alchemy, which is known as the medieval forerunner of chemistry. They tried
to study human anatomy and pharmacology, and applied important components such as examination,
diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis for the treatment of diseases.
• Astronomy was also famous in the African region. For instance, documents show that Africans used three types
of calendars: lunar, solar, and stellar, or a combination of the three.
• Metallurgy was also known in the African regions during the ancient times. North Africa and the Nile Valley
imported iron technology from the Near East region that enabled them to benefit from the developments
during the Bronze Age until the Iron Age. They invented metal tools used in their homes, in agriculture, and in
building their magnificent architectures.
• The Lebombo Bone from the mountains between Swaziland and South Africa, which may have been a tool for
multiplication, division, and simple mathematical calculation or a six-month lunar calendar, is considered to
be the oldest known mathematical artifact dated from 35,000 BCE.
• Ancient Egyptians are good in the four fundamental mathematical operations and other mathematical skills.
They have knowledge of the basic concepts of algebra and geometry. The Islamic regions in Africa during the
medieval period was also benefiting from mathematical learning, which is considered advanced during those
times, such as algebra, geometry, and trigonometry.

REFERENCE

• Serafica, J. et al. (2018) Science, technology, and society, Rex Printing Company, Inc., Quezon City, Philippines