Short Answer Questions

Question 1

List the four major types of technological change

Answer 1

Incremental innovations
Radical innovations
Changes in technology systems
Changes in techno-economic paradigms

Question 2

Explain type 1: incremental innovations

with examples

Answer 2

Microinventions that are small scale; improvements to existing technologies
Ex. Heavy plow, newest iPhone

Question 3

Explain type 2: radical innovations

with examples

Answer 3

Macroinventions that are sudden or discontinuous. Fundamentally new technical designs
Ex. Digital camera, chlorine bleaching

Question 4

Explain type 3: changes of technology systems

with examples

Answer 4

Combination of type 1 and 2, along with organizational innovations; general purpose technologies
Ex. Railroads, steam engine, printing

Question 5

Explain type 4: changes in techno-economic paradigms

with examples

Answer 5

Large scale revolutionary changes; “industrial revolutions”

Ex. 1st industrial revolution - convergence of coal, steam, and iron

Question 6

List the four main technological forms

Answer 6

Tool
Craft
Machine
System

Question 7

Identify a tool and examples

Answer 7

A physical item that can be used to achieve a goal

Ex. Stone axes

Question 8

Identify a craft and examples

Answer 8

Profession that requires officials skills and knowledge of skilled work
Ex. Basket weaving

Question 9

Identify a machine and examples

Answer 9

An apparatus made up of interrelated parts with separate functions, used in the performance of some kind of work
Ex. Wheel, pulley

Question 10

Identify a system and examples

Answer 10

A related set of components connected by a network or structure
Ex. Railroads, telephone network, internet

Question 11

List the four ideal types of societies

Answer 11

Tool-using society
Craft-based society
Industrial system-based society
Technological society

Question 12

Tool-using society time period

Answer 12

70,000 ya - 10,000 BCE

Question 13

Craft-based society time period

Answer 13

10,000 BCE - 1800 CE

Question 14

Industrial system-based society time period

Answer 14

ca. 1800 CE - 2000 CE

Question 15

Technological society time period

Answer 15

ca. 2000 CE - present

Question 16

List the six general features of an ideal society

Answer 16

Technological form
Energy regime
Economy
Social organization
Environment (nature and space)
Values

Question 17

Explain the technological form of an ideal tool using society

Answer 17

Simple tools and crafts, fire

Question 18

Explain the energy regime of an ideal tool using society

Answer 18

Organic energy regime, limited energy source, dependence on nature

Question 19

Explain the economy of an ideal tool using society

Answer 19

“Hunter-gatherer societies”

• split gender roles
• lack of specialists
• self sufficient
• low life expectancy

Question 20

Explain the social organization of an ideal tool using society

Answer 20

Small bands of 25-50 people
Slow population growth
Kinship based
Nomadic lifestyle
Egalitarian

Question 21

Explain the environment of an ideal tool using society

Answer 21

Altered natural environments
Low population density
Low energy consumption/environmental impact

Question 22

Explain the values of an ideal tool using society

Answer 22

Difficult to reconstruct
Rich ceremonial life
Little distinction between the material and spiritual worlds