Performance objectives

By the end of this theme the students should be able to:

1. List the different information ages
2. State the present information age
3. Identify tools associated with each information age

UNIT ONE: INFORMATION AGES

1.1. TECHNOLOGY OF INFORMATION AGES

The characteristic that differentiates man and other animals is the ability of man to make and use tools. Man has been using tools for centuries for the construction of houses, farming, making weapons, recording/storing and transferring data and information ( number of his animals, no of sacks of his maize, amount gotten from his market sells etc). The invention of the tools has passed through various stages. These stages are divided into five namely:-
1.1.1. Stone age.
1.1.2. Iron age (hoe and cutlass)
1.1.3. Bronze age ( middle age)
1.1.4. Industrial age (machine)
1.1.5. Electronic age
1.1.1. Stone age

Stone Age is the first era in which human culture and society starts to evolve. It is commonly referred to as primitive age. The Stone Age era is generally believed to have started in the present Ethiopia, Africa some 2 and 5 million years ago.

1.1.1.1. Tools of the Stone Age

The basic material used for making tools during the Stone Age era is stone. Stone was used for making tools for farming, defense, and the construction of houses. The common tools of the Stone Age are:

1. Arrowheads- used for hunting and defense  (Figure 1)
2. Grinder and mortar – used for grinding or pounding (Figure 2). Below are the pictures of the Stone Age tools.

   

1.1.2. Bronze Age (Middle Age)

The Bronze Age is the age between the Stone Age and the Iron Age. During the Bronze Age era, bronze was used for the production of tools. Bronze is a mixture of two metals: ninety percent copper, ten percent tin.

1.1.2.1. Tools of the Bronze Age

Various types of tools were invented during Bronze Age. This was made possible by the emergence of people who can fabricate bronze, called blacksmith. Blacksmith use fire furnaces to produce bronze materials of different shapes and sizes (hoe, cutlass, axes, containers weapons etc).  Below is a sample of furnace and fabricated Iron sword (Figure 3 and Figure 4).

 

Click to page v

Page 1

Click to page 2