Economic cycles begin with each technological advancement. Humans likely first started interacting with fire around 1.5 million years ago in Africa, The use of fire likely occurred when lightening struck and fire was transferred to a portable torch. Fire was warm and produced light. The Stone Age began 3.4 million years ago and ended between 4000BC and 2000BC. Flint was used to start fires 300,000 years ago. Metallurgy began when Gold was discovered in 40,000BC. Metallurgy was advanced when the Copper Age began in 5000BC. The Bronze Age began in 3000BC. Ore smelting developed when fire was applied to ore. The same technique was used to begin the Iron Age in 1200BC. Ancient humans had noticed the differences in rocks and began to experiment with fire. They eventually built kilns that allowed enough oxygen to be accessible to the fire to increase its heat to melt ore. Commerce occurred when gold items were offered in trade and continued as metal tools were traded. Clothing was invented as early as 500,000BC and was made from animal hides. Weaving was invented in 12,000 BC. Chariots were used in 3000BC. Horses were used to transport people and goods in 2000BC. Ships were used to transport people and goods in 4000BC. Human life expectancy was 35 to 40 years old in 3000BC. Human migration north began 100,000 years ago from Africa to Europe and Asia. The Ice Age ended in 13,000BC. Sewers date back to 10,000BC. Water wells date back to 8,500BC. Written language was developed in 3500BC. The pace of economic development was slow, but the discoveries made by individuals provided a roadmap to further development. This established observation and experimentation, the basis of scientific discovery.
The next period of development came from the establishment of the Egyptian Empire in 3100BC. Cultivation of crops grown near the Nile River made Egypt an exporter of grain. Shipping goods around the Mediterranean Sea became the wealth-producing vehicles for Greece and Rome. Rome and China built warm water baths in 3000BC.. The development of kingdoms and empires ensured the inclusion of consolidated tribes and the leaders of these kingdoms continued to seek wealth from trade and war. Inventions improved methods for grinding grain, transporting fresh water and irrigating crops. Windmills were built to grind graine into flour in 644AD. Aqua-ducts were built in Rome to transport fresh water in 312BC. The Archimedes’ water screw invented in Egypt allowed irrigation of crops in 250BC. The Silk Road began with trade to and from China in 130BC. Trade in Europe continued under Roman rule from 27BC to 476AD.
The Merchant Class grew in Europe in 11th Century AD. This is when the Private Sector Economy was established.
The Private Sector Merchants became embedded in kingdoms as Royals and formed “City-States” with their own Armies and formed their own governments. Commerce continued to be the driving factor in all forms of governance. Trade Centers in Italy and Greece formed their own city-states, while other countries consolidated its power and wealth to Monarchies.to direct the continuation of technological development. Monarchies funded the development of ships, weapons, forts and trade. This period from 1,000 AD to saw the beginnings of inventions. Eye glasses were invented in 1268. Gunpowder was employed in 1267. The Canon was adapted in Europe in 1343.
The Black Death Plague occurred in Europe from 1346 to
1353.killed 50 million or 50% of Europe’s population. It continued to spread
throughout Europe and the Mediterranean from the 1300s to the 1700s. Trade
among countries and continents ceased where these plagues occurred and resumed
when and where plagues ended.
In 1400AD, the average human lifespan was 50 years.
Inventions continued in 1400sAD with the invention of the Printing Press in 1450, the Astrolabe for navigation, the Anemometer to measure wind speed and the mechanical clock, gunpowder invented in China and coffee originating in Abyssinia. Inventions employed included the Compass for navigation,
The discovery of America in 1492 was a game-changer. Spain and Portugal seized South America. France and England established Colonies in North America. Holland established Trading Companies in America and Africa and Asia. Europe had depleted its forests needed trees to build ships and buildings. North America provided a source of trees.
The Renaissance began in the 14th century and reached its peak
in the 15th and 16th centuries. It was a period of discovery and invention.
Leonardo da Vinci 1452-1519
Galileo 1564-1642 and Isaic Newton 1643-1726 were active in advancing the science that would inform future scientists.
Inventions in 1500sAD included the flush toilet in 1500, the pocket watch in 1510, etching in 1513, bottled beer in 1568, knitting machine in 1589, compound microscope in 1590, water thermometer 1593.
Inventions in the 1600s included the refracting telescope 1608,
human powered submarine 1620, slide ruler 1624, blood transfusion 1625, steam
turbine 1629, micrometer 1636, adding machine 1642, barometer 1643, air pump
1650, pendulum clock 1656, cuckoo clock 1660, reflecting telescope 1663,
Calculating machine 1671, pocket watch 1675, universal joint 1676, pressure cooker 1679, steam pump 1689.
Inventions in the 1700s included the seed drill 1701, piano 1709, tuning fork 1711, steam engine 1712, diving bell 1717, fire extinguisher 1722, thermometer 1724, lightening rod 1752, navigational clock to measure longitude 1761, spinning jenny 1764, spinning frame 1768, steam engine 1769, telegraph 1774, flush toilet 1775, steamship 1775. Submarine 1776, spinning mule 1779, bi-focal glasses 1780, circular saw 1780, parachute 1783, self-winding clock 1783, hot air balloon 1783, steel roller for steel production 1783, threshing machine 1794, safety lock 1784, power loom 1785, chemical bleaching 1785, parachute 1785, steamboat 1786, cotton spinning machine 1790, gas turbine engine1791, bicycle 1791, gas lighting 1792, cotton gin 1794, ball bearings 1794, preserving jar for food 1795, smallpox vaccination 1796, lathe 1797, lithography 1798, battery 1799. Paper making machine 1799,
Inventions in the 1800s include the weaving loom 1800, improved
battery 1800, improved gas light 1804, steam powered locomotive 1804, arc lamp
first electric light 1809, improved printing press 1810, tin can 1810, improved
steam locomotive 1814, spectroscope for chemical analysis of glowing objects
1814, first photograph 1814,
Miner’s lamp 1815, stethoscope 1819, raincoat 1823, Portland cement 1824, electromagnet 1825, matches 1827, microphone 1827, typewriter 1829, sewing machine 1830, corn planter 1834, refrigerator 1834, photography 1835, wrench 1835, propeller 1835, mechanical calculator 1835, revolver pistol 1836, telegraph 1837, postage stamp 1837, Morse code1838, platform scales 1839, rubber vulcanization 1839, improved photography 1839, improved bicycle 1839, hydrogen fuel cell 1939, blueprint 1840, stapler 1841, grain elevator 1842, improved sewing machine 1845, vulcanized rubber pneumatic tires 1845, anesthesia for tooth extraction 1846, antiseptics 1847, dental chair 1848, safety pin 1849, first wooden hand cranked dishwasher 1850. Singer sewing machine 1851, gyroscope 1852, fiber optics theorized 1854, improved singer sewing machine motor 1855, rayon 1855. Pasteurization 1856, pullman sleeping car 1857, rotary washing machine 1858, internal combustion engine 1858, Otis elevator safety brakes 1861, first machine gun by Gattling1862, plastic 1862, dynamite 1866, new typewriter 1867, air brakes 1868, tungsten steel 1868, barbed wire 1873, telephone 1876, cylinder phonograph 1877, moving pictures 1877, improved light bulb 1878, toilet paper 1880, seismograph 1880, metal detector 1881, steam turbine 1884, second machine gun 1885, first internal combustion engine automobile by Benz 1885, first gas engine motorcycle by Daimler 1885, Hertz invents radar 1887, gramophone 1887, first contact lenses 1887, Tesla AC motor transformer 1888, escalator 1891, Diesel invents engine 1892, zipper 1893, motor driven vacuum cleaner 1899.
https://theinventors.org/library/weekly/aa111100b.htm
Radio was developed from 1893 to 1920:
1893: Nikola Tesla demonstrated a wireless radio in St. Louis, Missouri.
1895: Guglielmo Marconi sent a wireless Morse code message over a kilometer away.
1896: Marconi patented the first wireless telegraphy system in England.
1900: Reginald A. Fessenden sent audio wirelessly over a distance of about a mile.
1901: Marconi transmitted the first transatlantic telegraph.
1904: The U.S. Patent Office granted Marconi the patent for the radio.
1920: KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania became the first US licensed commercial broadcasting station.
Economic Cycles
Multiple economic cycles are displayed above and include technological advances gained by observation and experimentation and leading eventually to trade referred to today as Economic Activity. These cycles began slowly and the evidence came from archeological digs. Humans needed food and fresh water to survive and resorted to becoming hunter-gatherers.
The first economic cycle began 1.5 million years ago when humans began interacting with fire. Progress was slow until 10,000BC when humans discovered new tools. Humans learned to plant crops and tribes settled near fresh water where crops could be planted. The Ice Age ended and tribes began to migrate north.
The second economic cycle began in 10,000BC and continued to 3000BC. Humans learned metallurgy and improved tools. They adopted improvements in shipbuilding and expanded trade.
The third economic cycle began in 3000BC and continued to 1000AD.
The fourth economic cycle began in 1000AD and continued to 1100AD
The fifth economic cycle began in 1100 AD and continued to 1700AD
The sixth economic cycle began in in 1700AD and continued to 1900AD
The seventh economic cycle began in 1900 and continues as we add to our technical capabilities.
The inventions discovered in the 1700s and 1800s were prolific. Inventors pursued specific improvements and multiple uses of the technology.
In the 1900s, inventions were improved and deployed to improve the standards of living in developed countries.
In the 2000s, we are further ahead in technology than we’ve ever been, but are vulnerable to slowing down before we can develop productivity enhancing AI implementation. We need to strengthen and expand our electric power grid, lower the cost of energy, close the US borders and return manufacturing to the US. We should certainly replace war with total economic isolation of Bad Actor Countries. This will be required so we don’t run out of money the way the Roman Empire did.
An abbreviated version of 20th century inventions is
displayed on:
Norb
Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader
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