History of Technology

THE 16TH CENTURY

ABOUT THE 16TH CENTURY

Also known as the renaissance era

The 16^th century was the beginning of the modern era, and it saw a revolution in almost every aspect of life (Iannuzzo.C).

The century opened with the discovery of a new continent. The renaissance in Italy was peaking and spreading north, even arriving in backwaters like England.

Life was largely prosperous for the average person with the economy growing at amazing rates. Inventors and scientists were stepping all over each other on the street corners producing innovation after innovation.

Technological innovations like gunpowder and cannons were changing the nature of warfare, whilst the printing press created a media revolution; it brought ideas and how-to manuals to the people. Most of all, it brought the Bible to the masses. (Britannica)

The 16th century was a time of unprecedented change, the very beginning of the modern era of science, a time of great exploration, religious and political turmoil, and extraordinary literature.

MAJOR HISTORICAL EVENTS

1580- Francis Drake completes circumnavigation of earth
1509 -Michelangelo paints the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel
1525 -William Tyndale prints the first English edition of the New Testament
1553 -Mary Tudor becomes Queen of England, the first reigning queen of England

(About.com)

IMPORTANT & INFLUENCIAL PEOPLE OF THE 16th CENTURY

Michelangelo Buonarroti -Italian painter and sculptor
Leonardo da Vinci - famous artist and inventor and scientist
Raphael - Italian painter
Galileo Galilei - Italian physicist, mathemetician, astronomer amd philosopher
William Shakespear-English Author

(Didyouknow.org)

MAJOR TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

Invention of the graphite pencil, in a wooden holder by Conrad Gesner
Galileo Galilei invents a thermometer
William Lee invents the stocking frame
Introduction of the spinning wheel revolutionizes textile production in Europe

(Spiritus temporis)

FOOD INDUSTRY IN THE 16th CENTURY

(Lamberth.T)

BREAD

All classes ate bread but it varied in quality. Rich peoples bread was made from fine white flour. Poor people ate coarse bread of barley or rye.

MEAT

Turkeys were introduced into England about 1525 but at first few English people ate them.

BEER

In the 16th century it was not safe to drink water so for ordinary people drinking ale or beer was essential. Young children drank milk and even ale but only the poorest people drank water.

SEASONINGS

There was already a spice trade in the Early Middle Ages, but this really intensified after the Crusades and demand was as much for cooking as for medicine.

INTERESTING FACT

In the 16th Century etiquette rules stated that one hand was to be used to take food from the communal dish to your plate or trencher and the other hand to bring food to your mouth.

(Foodtimeline.org)

IMPORTANT ABORIGINAL HISTORY OF THE 16th CENTURY

Europeans began to encroach on Australia in the 16th century: Portuguese navigators were followed by Dutch explorers and the enterprising English pirate William Dampier (Kids net).

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