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Unit 1: Technology Changes History

Lesson 1: Society and the Environment

File 2.1.1: The Effects of Technology
In this activity, you will research a technological or scientific development that changed
history. You could ask your parents and teachers for recommended developments or search
history textbooks or the Internet.
This development could be from the earliest times, such as a wheel and axle, or a late
development, such as stealth technology. Research how that development changed history,
including the economic, environmental, cultural, political, and societal effectsboth positive
and negative. You are encouraged to print out graphs, charts, pictures, etc. and assemble
this information into a poster that is to be displayed in the classroom.
Use this Student Resource as a guide to help plan your technological effects poster.
Development Selected: Tank
Was this development the result of an historical event? It changed how war was fought.
Tanks would now be causing damage on the battlefield.
Did a significant historical event take place as a result of this development? No, but the
tank did help with the impact that this historical event left on the Earth.
Did this development go through a period of innovation after its introduction? It did.
What were those innovations? After the invention and use of tanks, countries in World
War 1 were looking to better the tanks. Different tanks were put on the battle
field. The original however was the Mark 1 tank made by Australian engineer and
inventory Lancelot de Mole. It was originally used by the British.
What were the positive and negative effects of this development to the:
Economy: Tanks laid waste to anything their guns pointed at. Including banks. If
banks and other financial centers are destroyed. The government is losing money.
At the same time, countries are spending money to improve and build tanks.
Environment: Tanks were very destructive and are still to this day. If a tank pointed
at the ground near you. You can bet that there is going to crater where the cannon
shell landed.
Culture: It changed the way war was fought. Now instead of charging the enemy.
You can hurl a cannon shell up to 75+ feet and hit your enemy and wipe out some
of their numbers. It lowers their numbers and gives you an advantage over your
enemy because you have more men than them.
2012 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association
Foundations of
Technology, Third Edition/
Technology, Engineering, and Design

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Politics: More and more countries we adapting warfare fought through tanks.
Countries are focusing on building and making tanks better.
Society: As tanks were being used in warfare, whole cities and towns would be
destroyed by tanks, cannons, and other forms of artillery.
What graphics will you be able to use on your poster? Pictures to show both the
destruction and power of the tank. Other than that other animations will be added
to help spice up the presentation.
Use a separate sheet of paper to sketch thumbnails of your poster layout and attach it to
this page.

2012 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association

Foundations of
Technology, Third Edition/
Technology, Engineering, and Design