Read the following quote from A People’s History of the World by Chris Harmon. Then please answer my questions below. I look forward to reading what you have to say.
“Iron ore was much more abundant than copper. Turning it into metal required more elaborate processes (it was more difficult than with copper). But once smiths knew how to do so, they could turn out knives, axes, arrowheads, plough tips and nails for the masses. The effect on agriculture was massive. The iron axe enabled cultivators to clear the thickest woodlands, the iron-tipped plough to break up the heaviest soil. And the relative cheapness of the iron spear and iron sword weakened the hold of the military aristocracies (rulers), allowing peasant infantry (armies of poor people) to cut down knights in bronze armor.” (p46)
Harmon argues that the invention of using iron to make technology such as swords, ploughs, and cultivators changed societies greatly because the average person had access to this technology.
What technology from the last 5-25 years do you think has had a radical shift on society in the same way that Harmon argues people were affected by iron? In your answer be sure to compare the technology you are discussing to how iron changed society and to give concrete examples of how this newer technology has affected our society in a massive way.
the invention of the world wide web affected people just as much as iron did for the egyptians. People rely on it like they relied on iron to do daily tasks.
ReplyDeleteI think that the internet has affected many people in the past 25 years. People use the internet just as much if not more than people used the iron in ancient Egypt. The internet may be more important because it has so much information that can be used for lots of different things in life.
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ReplyDeleteI believe that the invention of the world wide web has had almost as large of an affect on humans as the introduction of iron. The internet has enabled all people to have access to an unlimited amount of information, which makes research, as well as every day life, much easier. Similar to how iron allowed artisans to create stronger axes and nails, the internet allows today's businesses to create and design products on computers. Iron made cultivating woodlands and ploughing through tough soil much easier, similar to how the internet made researching and communicating easier. Because of the positive affect that the world wide web has on society, the internet could be called today's iron.
ReplyDeleteI think that the internet has affected the ways that society has shifted in the past 25 years. I think that it has made a very big impact on the ways that people go about their daily life. People go on the computer or hand-held internet devices for everything now, from looking up a phone number or directions to a destination, to social networking and shopping. Iron changed the way that people built things and the types of construction projects they could perform. The internet has changed the way that people go about their lives. Just like Iron, the internet went from a new phenomenon to a normal part of everyday life.
ReplyDeleteOne invention in the last 25 year that has drastically shaped modern society is the cell phone. The cell phone takes multi-tasking to the limit and allows people to walk and talk at the same time. Before people could only make calls from inside their house, but the cell phone gives the caller full mobility and they can make a call from almost everywhere. It speeds up the whole process of making and receiving calls and has definitely shaped society for today and tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteThe invention of cell phones strongly affected society. People were able to communicate with each other from anywhere. Also, the advancement of text messaging allowed people to talk to each other without interrupting any conversations.
ReplyDeleteIron also allowed people to communicate better because it allowed people to build roads and transportation.
The invention of cell phones has had a radical shift on society. Most people out there have cell phones, and it is a way for everybody to communicate. If we didn't have cell phones sharing information about breaking news would be much harder, because it is one of the fastest ways for people to tell eachother what's going on.
ReplyDeleteI think the itouch has had a big affect on people, such as getting on the internet at a time when your not around a computer. You can pretty much do anything with it. Like iron they got many things from using it.
ReplyDeletethe invention of cellphones has made a really big impact on the entire world! people use their cell phones to do daily tasks that may be important for their buisnesses, company, or comunicating with other people around the world!
ReplyDeleteI think the invention of pocket sized cellular phones has greatly contributed to the advancement of society. For better or for worse, we now have the ability to find anyone with a phone at any point in time, almost regardless of their location. This helps everything from business to travel to security to social matters.
ReplyDeleteOne invention in the last 25 years that has drastically shaped society today is the invention of the internet. The internet is used everyday. The internet is relied on to do daily tasks just as iron did when it was invented. The internet could be one of the most important inventions of all time. Because of all the people that use the internet everyday and rely on it.
ReplyDeleteI think that the technology that has contributed to the radical shift on society was the computer. It not only helps us receive information, but it helps us share it and spread the information to other people in the world. It is a faster way to transport ideas or even send in orders to ship objects. It can help people express their views on things if they use blogs or the social network to talk to people.
ReplyDelete--Whitney Forseth
One invention in the last 25 years that I thought change modern society was MP3 player. People can now listen to music anywhere to pass time or multi task and do something while listening to music without actually being in their homes or listening to the radio.
ReplyDeleteThe computer is a technology that has put a radical shift on society. The computer helps us receive information, also helps us search for things through out the world. On the computer besides just receive information but share information.
ReplyDeleteI think since cars have been made more efficient and safe, the death toll in cars have been going down a lot. Like how they have put more airbags in cars, and anti-lock brakes. I prevents a lot more unneeded accidents just because they have improved on the equipment on cars so much, like if you get in an accident you'll be safer from the airbags. And now since the brakes and stuff like that have gotten better, there are less unneeded accidents.
ReplyDeleteI think that the internet is something that we all depend on lk the egyptions depended on iron. cuz we all use the internet almost everyday to gather info , chat with our friends, n stuff lk that
ReplyDeletethe internet has greatly affected the lives of people just as much the way iron had affected the Egyptians. Many rely on the internet to communicate and do important task. The Egyptians used iron to complete important task and greatly relied on it.
ReplyDeleteThe invention of the internet had a huge affect on modern day society. The internet keeps people connected all over the world and provides an incredible resource for information. Similar to the affect the invention of iron had on ancient people, the invention of the internet changed many aspects of modern society. People are able to communicate over long distances, acquire important information quickly, and some people use the internet to do their jobs and go to school.
ReplyDeleteBeing able to access the internet from a cell phone has had a radical shift on society, because anyone is able to get any sort of information almost anywhere. Iron changed society in a great way because people were able to build almost anything out of this material. It expanded knowledge, much like internet use from hand-held cellular devices. Know days people are able to connect to the internet to check their emails, get directions, or shop online. Back then, cultivators did not have iphones to ask google how to build an iron axe. They simply figured out projects through knowledge and trial. Internet use has affected our society in a great way and is an excellent example of a vital source of technology.
ReplyDeleteDuring the past two decades there have been several inventions that have completely changed the way we live today. One of those several inventions is the MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging). This machine has made it possible for doctors to look at people's bodies and use the digital images to detect even the smallest changes in the structure of the body, helping them to more accurately diagnose symptoms the patient might be experiencing and has saved many lives during its short lifetime. Just like iron changed society to become a more advanced and powerful society, MRI machines are helping to preserve human lives and are having a large impact on the people in the medical field.
ReplyDeleteCell phones are a technology that have created a radical shift in society. Similar to iron, cell phones have become so advanced that they are used by almost all members of society. Like iron, cell phones are used in many different ways to make life easier. Society is now constantly connected to each other. For instance, texting, the ability to make phone calls, and accessing the internet allow everyone to communicate with a push of a button. Iron allowed them to improve their tools. Additionally, both cell phones and iron have disadvantages. For instance, the use of iron allowed society to create more advanced weapons to use in war. Comparably, cell phones can become distractions and ways of bullying. In the end, cell phones and irons advantages are greater than their disadvantages changing society forever.
ReplyDeleteThe idea and invention of having hybrid cars is something that I think people will look back on an find very useful. I think that it will have created a big step into what the "future" modes of transportation might be like. Just like in the ancient time until now, we use iron in much more sophisticated way. I believe that it will be the same with hybrid cars. It will give people advances and other ideas on how to use certain technology with transportation.
ReplyDeleteIpods have had a radical effect on society today. ipods have made technological advances to the point that you can carry files and other things on there. Iron helped there society by making it easier to make there lives easier by the tools that were made.
ReplyDeleteAn invention that has changed modern society in the last 25 years would be the cell phone. The cellular phone has changed by the fact that now you not only can call people but also check your email and facebook status.
ReplyDeleteI think that computers have opened many doors in our society in a massive way just like the way iron opened many doors and opportunities in Egypt. Computers are a huge part of any working persons career and are just as useful in the life of a home-body. They are widely known and can be used for just about anything today. And just like iron, many people today use computers on a daily basis as well as rely on them for many tasks.
ReplyDeleteI think the internet has effected the world greatly over the past 25 years. The internet helps others connect and communicate with others. Things such as e-mail are very helpful for people to have conversations on the internet. Also the internet helps people to do many everyday things similar to how iron helped the Egyptians. You can look up information on the internet and endlessly research everyday topics.
ReplyDeleteCell phones is a huge accomplishment to our world today. Almost everyone has them and people use them for many things. This technology was a huge advance in our society. Just like how iron was in ancient Egyptian society. They used their knowledge of how to get iron from ore for many things everyday.
ReplyDeleteI think computers have had a big shift on society. If I was comparing iron back then, to computers now, from iron came swords and tools. From computers came other advanced things such as lap tops and i pods. People were affected by iron because it changed the way they could do things like farm and fight. People were affected by computers because its almost the new way people communicate, now days it seems like everything revolves around computers. Everywhere you go, computers are there like school, offices, and public places. Even some cars have computers.
ReplyDeleteOne invention was mobile internet allowing us to use the internet without computers. We can use the internet with phones or ipods. People use it everyday just like the Egyptians used iron.
ReplyDeleteA technology that has been discovered in the last 5-25 years is internet. I think this because almost everything in our world today involves the internet or some type of computer. This can be linked to the importance of iron because it enabled average people to do great things like plow their land or fight off nights or bronze armor. Internet lets people do this too. A lot of people have changed their lives over the internet. An example of this is how Cory Kennedy sent in a video of him skating to the Berrics and now he is touring the world with his new sponsors. In our world today people can almost do anything with the internet. what more can i say.
ReplyDeleteFrom Mike J:
ReplyDeleteThe thing that i think changed the world today that was invented in the last 25 years is the internet. Now i hope that this counts because i am not sure if this is current enough. This changed the world because most of the things that we rely on are on the internet. This is a lot like the invention of the iron ore because like then everything revolves around it.