Innovation and Change in History

Innovation and Change

• Innovations during the Paleolithic Period (before c. 10,000 BCE) are significant.
• Innovations during the Neolithic Period (c. 10,000 BCE to between 4500 and 2000 BCE) are significant.
• The Neolithic Revolution led to the rise of civilization.
• Key innovations from the Ancient, Pre-Modern, and Modern Eras are significant.

Invention vs. Innovation

• An invention is a completely new object or method.
• An innovation is a change to an existing object or method that improves effectiveness or efficiency.

Determining Historical Significance

• Magnitude: Importance of the event or change.
• Scope: How widely the effects spread.
• Duration: How long the effects are experienced.

Human Origins in Africa

• Early Hominid Discovery: Mary Leakey's team discovered prehistoric footprints in 1978, and Donald Johanson discovered "Lucy" in 1974, both with important implications for understanding human origins and evolution.
• Paleolithic Era (2.5 million years ago to 8,000 BCE): characterized by the development of tools, mastery of fire, development of language.
• Hominid Developments: Include Australopithecines, Homo habilis (first to make stone tools), Homo erectus (migrated and may have used language), Archaic Humans (Homo heidelbergensis and Neanderthals), and Early Modern Humans/Cro-Magnon.
• Key developments include bipedalism (walking upright) and tool-making, which allowed for greater mobility, dietary diversity, and social interaction.

The Neolithic Revolution

• Beginning of agriculture (c. 8000 BCE): Humans discovered the role of cultivating crops instead of foraging.
• Causes of the Agricultural Revolution: Climate change, including warmer temperatures.
• Early Farming Methods: Slash-and-burn and domesticating animals to increase food supply.
• Agriculture Spreads: Around 9,000 years ago, agriculture spread from the Zagros Mountains of Northeast Iraq (Jarmo), to Africa (Nile River), China (Huang He River), Mexico, and Central America.
• Catal Huyuk as an example of an early Neolithic village, demonstrating a settled agricultural lifestyle.

Civilization

• Agriculture caused a shift from nomadic life to settled agricultural communities and eventually to cities.
• Characteristics of Civilization: Advanced cities, specialized workers, complex institutions, record keeping, and improved technology.
• Sumerian Civilization developed one of the world's first writing systems (cuneiform) and complex institutions.

Ancient Innovations

• Phoenician Boats: Used for trade in the eastern Mediterranean. The creation and use of ships with superior design for trade made trade operations more efficient.
• Roman Aqueducts: System of channels for transporting water. Enabled the growth of large cities and helped with sanitation, irrigation and various needs for the towns.

Medieval Innovations

• Stirrup: Innovation created around 1000 BCE, revolutionized warfare by providing stability for riders and facilitating combat tactics.
• Printing Press: Developed by Gutenberg in 1452, enabled mass production of books, leading to the spread of knowledge, and increased literacy.

Early Modern Innovations

• Smallpox Vaccine: Developed by Edward Jenner, preventing deaths, disfigurement, and providing immunity to one of the most devastating disease of that era.
• Steam Engine: Invented in the 1700s in Britain, dramatically increased production, powering factories, boats, and locomotives, greatly reducing travel times by land and sea, and leading to changes in the work conditions.