The history of technology is a fascinating and complex subject that has been studied by scholars for centuries. It is the development over time of systematic techniques for making and doing things, from the use of tools and weapons to the application of science and technology in modern society . The term technology, a combination of the Greek techn?, art, craft, with logos, word, speech, meant in Greece a discourse on the arts, both fine and applied. When it first appeared in English in the 17th century, it was used to mean a discussion of the applied arts only, and gradually these arts themselves came to be the object of the designation. By the early 20th century the term embraced a growing range of means, processes, and ideas in addition to tools and machines. By mid-century technology was defined by such phrases as the means or activity by which man seeks to change or manipulate his environment. Even such broad definitions have been criticized by observers who point out the increasing difficulty of distinguishing between scientific inquiry and technological activity .
The history of technology can be divided into several phases that succeed each other in time. One factor in the weighting has been the enormous acceleration of Western technological development in recent centuries; Eastern technology is considered in this article in the main only as it relates to the development of modern technology. Within each chronological phase a standard method has been adopted for surveying the technological experience and innovations. This begins with a brief review of the general social conditions of the period under discussion, and then goes on to consider the dominant materials and sources of power of the period, and their application to food production, manufacturing industry, building construction, transport and communications, military technology, and medical technology. In a final section the sociocultural consequences of technological change in the period are examined .
The history of technology is a story of innovation and progress. From the earliest tools and weapons to the most advanced computers and artificial intelligence systems, humans have always sought to improve their lives through the use of technology. The development of technology has been driven by a variety of factors, including the need for survival, the desire for comfort and convenience, and the pursuit of knowledge
