History of Science and Technology Quiz

The Sumerians developed one of the first writing systems (cuneiform). What does this tell us about the relationship between society and technology at the time?

• Writing allowed leaders to create personal stories of their reigns

• Writing was useful mainly for religious ceremonies and myths

• Writing supported trade, laws, and agricultural records

• Writing spread quickly because it was easy to learn for everyone

Egyptian calendars were made to predict the Nile's flooding. This shows that early technologies were often:

• Designed mainly to honor rulers and their legacy

• Influenced by foreign civilizations outside Africa

• Practical tools for managing nature and ensuring survival

• Developed purely for entertainment during festivals

Greek philosophers like Aristotle sought rational explanations of nature. What does this represent in the history of science?

• A turn toward logic and observation rather than myth

• A complete rejection of all earlier traditions

• A focus only on mathematics instead of other sciences

• A reliance on gods to explain natural events

Roman roads, aqueducts, and bridges show that science and technology were used primarily to:

• Maintain political control and economic expansion

• Support entertainment such as gladiator games

• Compete directly with Chinese inventions

• Preserve Greek philosophy without changes

The Indian invention of zero and decimals shows that mathematics was:

• Connected to trade, astronomy, and calculations in daily life

• Developed only for use in temple rituals

• Borrowed completely from Mesopotamian practices

• A symbolic tradition rather than a practical system

The translation of Greek and Arabic works by medieval scholars helped:

• Strengthen education and connect knowledge across cultures

• Replace experimentation with religious authority

• Limit science only to wealthy families

• Encourage the destruction of ancient texts

Agricultural innovations like the heavy plow and crop rotation in the medieval period reflect society's need to:

• Increase food supply to support larger populations

• Develop farming mainly for export trade

• Reduce dependence on religious institutions

• Create purely experimental farming for curiosity

The Renaissance is often called a "rebirth" of learning. What made it different from the medieval period?

• A focus on observation, humanism, and rediscovery of classical works

• A rejection of Greek and Roman influence in favor of new myths

• A return to purely religious explanations of nature

• A complete avoidance of art and philosophy in science

The rise of the scientific method (Galileo, Bacon, Newton) was important because it:

• Promoted systematic observation and testing of ideas

• Required scientists to follow ancient authorities strictly

• Eliminated the use of mathematics in science

• Focused on repeating experiments without conclusions

The Industrial Revolution (1700s-1800s) shows how science and technology became:

• Engines of economic growth, industry, and social change

• Limited mostly to agriculture and small villages

• Valued only by political elites, not the public

• Focused exclusively on military power and conquest