CRADLES OF EARLY SCIENCE

DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE IN MESOAMERICA

MESOAMERICA INCLUDES THE ENTIRE AREA OF CENTRAL AMERICA FROM SOUTHERN MEXICO UP TO
THE BORDER OF SOUTH AMERICA. MESOAMERICAN REGION WERE RICH IN CULTURE AND KNOWLEDGE
PRIOR TO THE ARRIVAL OF EUROPEAN COLONIZER.

THE MAYAN

THE MAYAN CIVILIZATION IS ONE OF THE FAMOUS CIVILIZATIONS THAT LASTED FOR APPROXIMATELY
2000 YEARS.

THEY ARE KNOWN FOR ASTRONOMY. THEY USE TEMPLES AND RELIGIOUS STRUCTURES AS
ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATION. (PIC)

THEY ARE FAMOUS FOR MEASURING TIME USING TWO COMPLICATED CALENDAR SYSTEM. THIS
CALENDAR SYSTEM WERE USE FOR PLANING THEIR ACTIVITIES AND OBSERVING THEIR RELIGIOUS
RITUALS AND CULTURAL CELEBRATION. (PIC)

THEY DEVELOP THE TECHNOLOGY FOR GROWING DIFFERENT CROPS AND BUILDING ELABORATE CITIES
USING ORDINARY MACHINERIES AND TOOLS.

THE HYDRAULICS SYSTEM WITH SOPHISTICATED WATERWAYS TO SUPPLY WATERS TO DIFFERENT

COMMUNITIES. (PIC)

THEY USED VARIOUS TOOLS AND ADAPT THEMSELVES TO INNOVATIONS ESPECIALLY IN THE FIELD OF
ARTS. (pics)

THEY ARE ONE OF THE FIRST CIVILIZATION TO USE WRITING SYSTEM KNOWN AS MAYAN
HIEROGLYPHICS. (PICS)

THEY WERE ALSO SKILLED IN MATHEMATICS AND CREATED A NUMBER SYSTEM BASED ON THE
NUMERAL 20. THEY INDEPENDENTLY DEVELOPED THE CONCEPT OF ZERO AND POSITIONAL VALUE,
EVEN BEFORE THE ROMANS DID.

THE INCA CIVILIZATION

THE INCAS MADE ADVANCED SCIETIFIC IDEAS CONSIDERING THEIR LIMITATIONS AS AN OLD
CIVILIZATION. THE INCA CIVILIZATION AROSE FROM THE PERUVIAN HIGLANDS SOMETIME IN EARLY 13TH
CENTURY.
THE FOLLOWING WERE SCIENTIFIC IDEAS AND TOOLS THAT THEY DEVELOPED TO HELP THEM IN
EVERYDAY LIFE:

1. ROADS PAVED WITH STONES (PICS)

2. STONE BUILDING THAT SURMOUNTED EARTHQUAKES AND OTHER DISASTERS (PICS)
3. IRRIGATION SYSTEM AND TECHNIQUE FOR SORTING WATER FOR THEIR CROPS TO GROW IN ALL
TYPES OF LAND (PICS)
4. CALENDAR WITH 12 MONTHS TO MARK THEIR RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS AND PREPARE THEM FOR
PLATING SEASON (PICS)
5. THE FIRST SUSPENSION BRIDGE (PICS)
6. QUIPU, A SYSTEM OF KNOTTED ROPES TO KEEP RECORDS THAT ONLY EXPERTS CAN INTERPRET
(PICS)
7. INCA TEXTILES SINCE CLOTH WAS ONE OF THE SPECIALLY PRIZED ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT.

AZTEC CIVILIZATION

FLOURISHED BETWEEN 1345 AND 1521 CE. THEY MADE SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY AND TO THE SOCIETY AS A WHOLE.

SOME OF THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS ARE THE FOLLOWING :

1. MANDATORY EDUCATION. THE AZTEC PUTS VALUE ON EDUCATION; THAT IS WHY THEIR
CHILDREN ARE MANDATED TO GET EDUCATION REGARDLESS OF THEIR SOCIAL CLASS, GENDER
OR AGE. IT IS AN EARLY FORM OF UNIVERSAL OR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION. (PICS)
2. CHOCOLATES. THE AZTEC IN MEXICO DEVELOPED CHOCOLATE DURING THEIR TIME. IN THE
MAYAN CULTURE, THEY USE IT AS CURRENCY. THE AZTEC VALUED THA CACAO BEANS HIGHLY
AND MADE IT AS PART OF THEIR TRIBUTE TO THEIR GODS. (PICS)
3. ANTIPASMODIC MEDICATION. THEY USED A TYPE OF ANTIPASMADIC MEDICATION THAT
COULD PREVENT MUCSLE SPASMS AND RELAX MUSCLES, WHICH COULD HELP DURING
SURGERY.(PICS)
4. CHINAMPA. IT IS A FORM OF AZTEC TECHNOLOGY FOR AGRICULTURE FARMING IN WHICH THE
LAND WAS DIVIDED INTO RECTANGULAR AREAS AND SURROUNDED BY CANALS.
5. AZTEC CALENDAR. THIS ENABLED THEM TO PLAN THEIR ACTIVITIES, RITUALS AND PLANTING
SEASON. (PICS)
6. INVENTION OF CANOE. A LIGHT NARROW BOAT USED FOR TRAVELLING IN WATER SYSTEMS.