STS 10 Lesson 2.1 History of Science and Technology in the Philippines | Vanessa E. Asaias
Summary
TLDRThis lecture explores the historical development of science and technology in the Philippines, emphasizing the interplay of geography, colonial trade, economic policies, and social factors. It covers the pre-colonial era's technological advancements, Spanish colonization's impact on education and research, and the rise of modern professions. The talk also discusses the Spanish regime's contributions to agriculture, industry, and the establishment of institutions like the Manila Observatory, highlighting the uneven progress and the roots of Philippine nationalism.
Takeaways
- π The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in the Philippines is the executive department responsible for coordinating science and technology projects and formulating policies to support national development.
- π Science and technology are integral to a country's political sovereignty and economic self-reliance, and their development is a global concern for governments.
- π The history of science and technology in the Philippines is shaped by various factors including geography, colonial trade, economic and educational policies, and social-cultural elements.
- πΊοΈ Before the Spanish colonization in 1521, there was limited written information about Philippine society and technology, so historians rely on archaeological findings and early accounts.
- π οΈ Early Filipinos developed techniques for tool-making, pottery, and metalworking, but faced competition from imported goods, leading to the decline of some industries.
- πΎ By the 1st century AD, Filipinos were engaged in agriculture, with techniques like terraced fields in mountainous regions and coastal trade with advanced boat-building technology.
- π Trade with neighboring countries like Vietnam, Borneo, and China was well-established by the 10th century, with Chinese records and archaeological findings supporting this.
- π° Upon colonization, the Spanish found autonomous village communities with their own systems of writing, weights, and measures, and some with advanced fortifications and artillery.
- π« The Spanish introduced modern education and scientific research, with religious orders playing a significant role in establishing schools and promoting technological innovation.
- π The 19th century saw the establishment of technical and vocational schools, and the growth of scientific research, particularly in medicine and pharmacy, with the participation of native Filipinos.
- π The Spanish regime's exploitation of mineral wealth and promotion of agriculture and industry led to economic development, though benefits were unevenly distributed, contributing to the rise of Philippine nationalism.
Q & A
What is the role of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in the Philippines?
-The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in the Philippines is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for coordinating science and technology-related projects and formulating policies and projects in the fields of science and technology to support national development.
Why is the development of science and technology crucial for a country's progress?
-The development of science and technology is crucial for a country's progress because it is closely associated with political sovereignty and economic self-reliance, and it is recognized as one of the imperatives of social and economic progress in the contemporary world.
What sources do historians use to understand the pre-colonial period of the Philippines?
-Historians use archaeological findings, accounts of early traders and foreign travelers, and narratives written by the first Spanish missionaries and colonial officials to understand the pre-colonial period of the Philippines.
What technological advancements were made by the early Filipinos before the arrival of the Spaniards?
-Early Filipinos made advancements in tool-making with stone flakes, pottery of various designs, metalworking using copper, gold, bronze, and iron, and agriculture, including the construction of terraced fields and the cultivation of rice.
How did the Spanish colonization impact the development of science and technology in the Philippines?
-Spanish colonization led to the establishment of schools, hospitals, and scientific research, which had important consequences for the rise of the country's professions. However, the direction and pace of development were greatly shaped by the religious orders, who played a major role in the establishment of the colonial educational system.
What were the limitations of higher education during the Spanish regime in the Philippines?
-Higher education during the Spanish regime was limited to the elite of colonial society, and it was pursued mainly for the priesthood or clerical positions in the colonial administration. Access to schools was limited, and the study of sciences and medicine was discouraged.
How did the Spanish missionaries contribute to technological innovation and scientific research in the Philippines?
-Spanish missionaries introduced technology for town planning and building with stones, bricks, and tiles, established charity hospitals, and conducted research in pharmacy and medicine. They also observed, cataloged, and wrote about Philippine plants with medicinal properties.
What was the significance of the Manila Observatory in the development of meteorological studies in the Philippines?
-The Manila Observatory, founded in 1865, collected and made available typhoon and climatological observations. It issued the first public typhoon warning and later became a central station of the Philippine Weather Bureau, providing meteorological, seismological, and astronomical studies.
What was the role of the Real Sociedad Economica de los Amigos del Pais de Filipinas in promoting scientific and technological development?
-The Real Sociedad Economica de los Amigos del Pais de Filipinas, founded in 1780, promoted the cultivation of various crops and the development of industries. It provided funds for successful experiments, inventions, scientific literature, and scholarships for Filipinos, encouraging research and development in agriculture and industry.
What were the economic and social conditions in the Philippines at the end of the Spanish regime?
-At the end of the Spanish regime, the Philippines had evolved into a primary agricultural exporting economy with some progress in agriculture. However, there was an uneven distribution of economic benefits, increasing concentration of wealth among large landowners, and poverty and landlessness among the masses.
Outlines
ποΈ Introduction to Philippine Science and Technology History
The first paragraph introduces the topic of Philippine science and technology, highlighting the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) as a key player in national development. It emphasizes the importance of science and technology for a country's progress and sovereignty. The lecture aims to explore the history of science and technology in the Philippines, focusing on the interplay of various factors such as geography, colonial trade, economic policies, and social-cultural elements. The discussion begins with the pre-colonial period, noting the limited written records and reliance on archaeological findings and early accounts. It describes the early inhabitants' technological advancements, such as tool-making, pottery, and metallurgy, and their decline due to competition with imported goods. The paragraph also touches on agriculture, boat-building, and the early Filipinos' trading activities.
π οΈ Pre-Colonial Technological Developments and Trade
Paragraph two delves deeper into the pre-colonial period, discussing the technological advancements and trade practices of early Filipinos. It mentions the establishment of trade relations with neighboring regions like Vietnam, Borneo, and China, supported by archaeological evidence of Chinese porcelains. The Spanish colonizers found autonomous village communities with their own agricultural, mining, and manufacturing practices. The paragraph contrasts the technological development of coastal settlements with that of interior and mountain areas, noting the presence of modern artillery in Manila. It also discusses the lack of a written literary tradition for systematic knowledge dissemination, the abundance of natural resources leading to less pressure for innovation, and the beginnings of modern science and technology under Spanish rule, including the establishment of schools, hospitals, and scientific research.
π« Spanish Influence on Education and Scientific Research
The third paragraph focuses on the Spanish colonial period's impact on education and scientific research in the Philippines. It describes the establishment of schools by religious orders and the limited access to higher education, primarily for the elite. The paragraph discusses the suspicion of higher education by colonial authorities due to its potential to encourage rebellion. It also covers the introduction of town planning, building technologies, and the establishment of charity hospitals, which became centers for early scientific work. The paragraph highlights the role of religious orders in technological innovation and scientific research, including the founding of the Manila Observatory and the Royal Economic Society, which promoted agricultural and industrial development. It concludes with a mention of the uneven economic development and the rise of Philippine nationalism leading to the revolution of 1896.
π± Agricultural Advancements and Economic Inequality
Paragraph four discusses the agricultural and economic developments during the Spanish regime, emphasizing the modernization of sectors like sugar and hemp production due to foreign capital and technology. It notes the lack of support for native industries, leading to their decline. The paragraph also addresses the social prestige attached to university education and the development of science-based professions like medicine and pharmacy. It concludes with a mention of the uneven distribution of economic benefits, leading to wealth concentration and poverty among the masses, which contributed to the rise of Philippine nationalism and the revolution of 1896. The paragraph ends with a prompt for further reading and an anticipation for the next lesson on scientific and technological development in the Philippines.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Department of Science and Technology (DOST)
π‘Pre-colonial period
π‘Archaeological findings
π‘Colonial trade
π‘Spanish regime
π‘Religious orders
π‘Meteorological studies
π‘Economic development
π‘Scientific research
π‘Nationalism
π‘Agricultural exporting economy
Highlights
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for coordinating science and technology-related projects and formulating policies to support national development.
The development of science and technology in the Philippines is closely associated with the country's political sovereignty and economic self-reliance.
Pre-colonial Filipinos had developed techniques for making tools, pottery, and were engaged in agriculture, weaving, and trading.
The Spanish colonization introduced modern science and technology, including town planning, building techniques, and medical research.
Religious orders played a significant role in establishing the colonial educational system and influencing the development of technology and scientific research.
Higher education during the Spanish regime was limited to the elite and focused on religious education and clerical positions.
The establishment of the Manila Observatory in 1865 marked the beginning of meteorological studies and the first public typhoon warning system.
The Real Sociedad Economica de los Amigos del Pais de Filipinas promoted agricultural and industrial development and supported scientific research.
Inequality and abuses during the Spanish regime led to the rise of Philippine nationalism and the revolution of 1896.
By the end of the Spanish regime, the Philippines had become a primary agricultural exporting economy with some modernization in sectors like sugar and hemp production.
The lack of support for native industries during the Spanish regime led to their failure to compete with foreign imports.
Medicine and pharmacy remained the most developed science-based professions due to the prestige attached to university education.
The lecture emphasizes the interdependent effects of geography, colonial trade, economic and educational policies, and social-cultural factors on the evolution of Philippine science and technology.
The lecture is based on an article by Olivia C. Cowley, providing a historical perspective on the development of science and technology in the Philippines.
Archaeological findings and early accounts help reconstruct the pre-colonial period's technological advancements in the Philippines.
The Spanish introduced the technology for building with stones, bricks, and tiles, which was used in the construction of Manila's walls and public buildings.
The establishment of charity hospitals by religious orders provided settings for early scientific work, particularly in pharmacy and medicine.
The Philippine Weather Bureau was set up by American colonial authorities in 1901, continuing the work of the Manila Observatory.
Transcripts
hello everyone welcome to the second
lesson on our subject sts-10
now i want you to look at this photo
this photo shows the national
headquarters of the philippines
department of science and technology
or dost which is located at taguig metro
manila the department of science and
technology is the executive department
of the philippine government which is
responsible for the coordination of
science and technology related projects
in the philippines and to formulate
policies and projects in the fields of
science and technology in support of
national development
the need to develop a country science
and technology has generally been
recognized as one of the imperatives of
social economic progress in the
contemporary world
this has become a widespread concern of
governments
science and technology is closely
associated with the country's political
sovereignty and economic self-reliance
in this lecture which is largely based
on the article authored by olivia c
cowley
we will examine the history of science
and technology in the philippines
but rather than focusing on the
chronology of events we shall interpret
and analyze the interdependent effects
of geography colonial trade economic and
educational policies and social cultural
factors in shaping the evolution of
present philippine science and
technology
let us begin with the development of
science and technology during the
pre-colonial period
there is a very little reliable written
information about philippine society
culture and technology before the
arrival of the spaniards in 1521.
so historians reconstruct a picture of
this past using contemporary
archaeological findings
accounts of by early traders and foreign
travelers and the narratives about
conditions in the archipelago which were
written by the first spanish
missionaries and colonial officials
this map shows the narrow land bridges
connecting the philippines to mainland
asia
according to archaeological sources
homo sapiens from the asian mainland
first came over land and across narrow
channels to live in palawan and vitangas
around 50 000 years ago
these stone age inhabitants subsequently
formed settlements in the major
philippine islands such as in mindanao
negros summer and luzon
they made simple tools or weapons of
stone flakes but eventually developed
techniques for solving drilling and
polishing hard stones
by about 3000 bc they were producing
access ornaments of seashells and
pottery of various designs
the manufacturer of pottery subsequently
became well developed and flourished for
about 2 000 years
until it came into competition with
chinese porcelain
thus over time pottery making declined
what has survived of this ancient
technology is the lowest level that is
the present manufacture of the ordinary
cooking pot among several local
communities
gradually the early filipinos learn to
make metal tools and implements using
copper
gold bronze and later iron
excavations of philippine graves and
worksites have yielded iron's legs
these suggest that filipinos during this
period engaged in the actual extraction
of iron from org smelting and refining
but it appears that the iron industry
like the manufacturer of pottery did not
survive the competition with imported
cast iron from malaysia and much later
from china
by the first century a.d filipinos were
weaving cotton smelting iron making
pottery and glass ornaments and they
were also engaged in agriculture
flowland rice was cultivated in diked
fields and in the interior mountain
regions such as in the cordaliera they
made terraced fields which utilized
spring water
filipinos had also learned to build
boats for the coastal trade with the
10th century a.d this had become a
highly developed technology
in fact the early spanish chroniclers
took note of the refined warship called
karakoa
by the 10th century a.d early filipinos
also engaged in trading for example
inhabitants of bhutan were trading with
champa which is now known as vietnam
the filipinos in mindanao and sulu
traded with borneo malacca and parts of
the malay peninsula while inhabitants of
mai or mindoro traded with china
chinese records which now have been
translated contain a lot of references
to the philippines
these indicate that regular trade
relations between the two countries had
been well established during the 10th to
the 15th centuries
archaeological findings of chinese
porcelains made during this period that
were excavated from various parts of the
philippines also support this contention
by the time the spaniards came to
colonize the philippines they found many
scattered autonomous village communities
all over the archipelago
these workingship groups are social
units rather than political units
the spanish colonizers noted that all
over the islands filipino communities
were growing rice vegetables and cotton
raising swine goats and fowls they were
making wine vinegar and salt
weaving cloth and producing beeswax and
honey
the filipinos were also mining gold in
such places as panai mindoro and bikol
they wore colorful clothes made their
own gold jewelry and even filled their
teeth with gold
their houses were made of wood or bamboo
and nipa
they also had their own system of
writing and weights and measures
some communities had become renowned for
their plant
boats
they had no calendar but they counted
the years by moons and from one harvest
to another
however these communities exhibited an
even technological development
settlements along the coastal areas
which had been exposed to foreign trade
and cultural contacts such as manila
mindoro cebu
southern mindanao and sulu seemed to
have attained a more sophisticated
technology
in 1570 for example
the spaniards found the town of mindoro
fortified by a stone wall
which is
over 14
feet thick
and defended by armed morrows
they also found manila similarly
defended by a wall along its front with
pieces of artillery at its gate
these reports indicate that the
filipinos in manila had learned to make
and use modern artillery
on the other hand in the interior and
mountain settlements many filipinos were
still living as hunters they gathered
forest products in order to trade with
the lowland and coastal settlements
the pre-colonial filipinos were also
still highly superstitious
the spaniards also did not find temples
or places of worship
although the filipinos knew how to read
and write in their own system
this was mainly used for
messages and letters they did not
develop a written literary tradition at
that time which
would have led to a more systematic
accumulation and dissemination of
knowledge
a condition that is necessary for the
development of science and technology
furthermore because of the abundance of
natural resources and generally sparse
population
there seemed to have been little
pressure for invention and innovation
among the early filipinos
the beginnings of modern science and
technology in the philippines can be
traced to the spanish regime the
spaniards established schools hospitals
and started scientific research which
had important consequences for the rise
of the country's professions
but the direction and pace of
development of science and technology
were greatly shaped by the religious
orders who played a major role in the
establishment of the colonial
educational system in the philippines
consequently they also influenced the
development of technology and promotion
of scientific research
due to the shortage of qualified
teachers textbooks and other
instructional materials
primary instruction was mainly religious
education which was generally taken care
of by the missionaries and parish
priests in the villages and towns
higher education was provided by schools
which were set up by the different
religious orders in the urban centers
most of them in manila
for example the jesuits founded the
colegio de san ignacio in 1595.
the colegio de san jose in 1601 in the
ateneo de manila in 1859
while the dominicans
established the colegio de san joan de
letran
however access to these schools was
limited to the elite of the colonial
society such as the european born and
local spaniards the mestizos and a few
native filipinos
on the whole higher education was also
pursued for the priesthood or for
clerical positions in the colonial
administration
it was only during the latter part of
the 19th century that technical and
vocational schools were established by
the spaniards
higher education during the spanish
regime was also viewed with suspicion
and feared by the colonial authorities
as encouraging conspiracy and rebellion
among the native filipinos
for this reason only the more daring and
persevering students were able to
undertake advanced studies
the attitude of the spanish friars
towards the study of the sciences and
medicine was even more discouraging
it was not surprising therefore that few
filipinos ventured to study these
disciplines
those who did were poorly trained when
compared with those who had gone to
european universities
science courses were taught by the
lecturer and or recitation method and
laboratory equipment was limited and
only displayed for visitors to see so
there was little or no training in
scientific research
just as the religious orders provided
most of the teaching force and
institutions of learning they also took
the lead in technological innovation and
scientific research
the spaniards introduced the technology
of town planning and building with
stones brick and tiles
the construction of the walls of manila
its churches convents hospitals schools
and public buildings were completed by
the 17th century
towards the end of the 16th century the
religious orders had established several
charity hospitals in the archipelago
these hospitals became the setting for
rudimentary scientific work during the
spanish regime long before the
establishment of the university of santo
tomas or ust college of medicine
research in these institutions were
confined to pharmacy and medicine and
concentrated on the problems of
infectious diseases their causes and
possible remedies
several spanish missionaries observed
catalog and wrote about philippine
plants particularly those with medicinal
properties
by the second half of the 19th century
studies of infectious diseases such as
smallpox cholera
bubonic plague dysentery leprosy and
malaria
were intensified with the participation
of graduates of medicine and pharmacy
from usd
at this time native filipinos began to
participate in scientific research
in 1887 the laboratory municipal de
choudad de manila was created by decree
its main functions were to conduct
biochemical analysis for public health
and laundry takes specimen examinations
for clinical and medical legal cases
the laboratory municipal descendant of
manila also had a publication called
chronica dcncs medicas de filipinas
showing scientific studies being done
during that time
meteorological studies were promoted by
jess switz who founded the manila
observatory in 1865.
the observatory collected and made
available typhoon and climatological
observations
these observations grew in number and
importance so that by 1879 it became
possible for father federico faura to
issue the first public typhoon warning
the service was so highly appreciated by
the business and scientific communities
that in april 1884 a royal decree made
the observatory an official institution
run by the jesuits and also established
a network of meteorological stations
under it
in 1901 the observatory was made a
central station of the philippine
weather bureau which was set up by the
american colonial authorities
it remained under the jesuit scientists
and provided not only meteorological but
also seismological and astronomical
studies
it is also important to note that the
spaniards exploited the mineral wealth
of the philippine islands it developed
its agriculture and established
industries
research in agriculture and industry was
encouraged by the founding of their real
sociedad economica de los amigos del
pais de filipinas or the royal economic
society of friends of the philippines by
governador jose basco e vargas under
authority of a royal decree of 1780.
composed of private individuals and
government officials
the society functioned somewhat like the
european learned societies during the
18th and 19th centuries in a modern
national research council
it undertook the promotion of the
cultivation of indigo
cotton cinnamon and pepper and the
development of the silk industry
during the 19th century it was endowed
with funds which it used to provide
prizes for successful experiments and
inventions for the improvement of
agriculture and industry to finance the
publication of scientific and technical
literature trips of scientists from
spain to the philippines
professorships and to provide
scholarships for filipinos
the benefits of economic development
during the 19th century were unevenly
distributed in the architecture while
manila prospered and rapidly modernized
much of the countryside remained
underdeveloped and poor
there was also increasing concentration
of wealth among the large landowners and
poverty and landlessness among the
masses
this inequality coupled with abuses and
injustices committed by the spanish
friars and officials
gave rise to philippine nationalism and
eventually the revolution of 1896.
at the end of the spanish regime the
philippines had evolved into a primary
agricultural exporting economy
progress in agriculture had been made
possible by some government support for
research and education in this field
but it was largely the entry of foreign
capital and technology which brought
about the modernization of such sectors
notably the sugar and hemp
production the lack of interest and
support for research and development of
native industries like weaving for
example
eventually led to their failure to
survive the competition with foreign
imports
because of necessity and the social
prestige attached to university
education
medicine and pharmacy remained the most
developed science-based professions
during the spanish regime
for more details on this lesson you may
read the following papers
stay tuned for our next lesson on the
scientific and technological development
in the philippines thank you
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