HanandRomanDBQ

Asancientcivilizationscontinuedtodevelope,theneedforandtechnologydid
too.TheHandynastysattitudeontechnologywasmorepositiveandhelpfulfortheir
people,whereasRomancivilizationsusedtechnologyasawayofclassdivisionand
makingtheirrepubliclookmoreaestheticallypleasing.Bothcivilizationsbelieved
technologytobeimportant,butforvastlydifferentreasons.
TheHanrulersthoughttechnologywasimportanttobetterthelivesoftheir
people.In20CEFuxi,amythologicalemperor,inventedthepestleandmotar.This
technologywasconstantlybeingimprovedtomakethepeopleoftheHansjobsmore
undemanding.Soonimprovementsweremadetointroduceanimalstohelpwithlabors
thatpeoplewereforcedtodo.(doc.3)Theauthoristryingtoshowthatthe
developmentandpassingonoftechnologywasaconfucianideathatwouldimprove
citizenslives.Inaddition,akindheartedmannamedTuShihwasdesignatedthe
governourofNanyangin31CE.TuShihinventedawaterpoweredblowingenginefor
thecastingofironagriculturalimplements.Hedidthisbecauselovedthecommon
peopleandwantedthemtoenjoygreatbenefitsforlittlelabor.(doc.4)Onceagain,this
reinforcesthewidelyadoptedconfucianideasthatwerepopularintheHandynasty.A
popularconfucianideaisthatthepeoplelooktotheirrulersasgodswhosejobsareto
helptheminallwayspossible.TuShihbelievedthatitwashisdutytohelphispeople,
sohemadenewtechnologicaladvancementsinordertoaccomplishthat.Adocument
fromacommonpersonduringhisrulingwouldhelptobetterunderstandbothpointsof
view.


InearlyancientRome,technologysmainusewastomaketheirlandlookmore
alluringtoothers.AgreekbornRomancitizennamedPlutarchdescribedRomesroads
tobecarriedstraightthroughthecountrywithoutwavering,werepavedwithquarried
stones,andweremadesolidwithtightlypackedsand.Streamsandriverswerealso
seentocutthroughroads.(doc.6)TheRomanrepublicwasobviouslytooobsessed
withthebeautyoftheirtowntohelpthethousandsofpeoplethatdiedfromtheplague,
ultimatelyleadingtothefallofRome.Plutarchinducedthebeliefthattheirtechnology
wasimportantthroughhisamazementoftheroads.Also,Frontinus,aRomangeneral
andwatercommissioner,believedtheadvancementsinRomantechnologywere
extremelysuccessfulandbetterthanthatofGreece.Frontinusevenbraggedaboutthe
factthatRomehadenoughwaterforpleasurableinventionssuchasfountainsand
basins.(doc.8)FrontinusonlyobservedthebeautyofRome,notthewayinwhichthis
technologybetteredthepeople.Also,afamouspublicspeakernamedCicerobelieved
thatgentlemenusingtoolswasdegrading.Hestatesthatworkersthatarehiredtouse
technologyareonlyhiredbecausetheyarepoorandwillingtodothework,ratherthan
beinghiredfortheirskillsintheworkforce.(doc.5)Thisenforcesthecruelsocial
divisionsinRomeduringthetime.Menwerethoughtasdegradingiftheyhadajobthat
involvedworkingwithtechnology.Theywerentthoughtofasskillfulworkers,justa
lowclasspersonthatneededmoney.Lastly,Seneca,andupperclassRoman
philosopher,sharedhisbeliefthatonlypeasantsshouldusetechnology.Hebelieved
thattechnologywasinventedbynimblemindedpeopleandinferencesthatthoseare

thekindofpeoplethatshouldbeusingthem.(doc7).Thisindicatessocialdivision,
becauseanupperclasscitizenistryingtodemeaninventorsoftechnology,andthe
peoplehebelievesshoulduseit.Adocumentfromaninventororalowerclassperson
wouldhelptogiveadifferentperspectiveonthismatter.Itwouldbehelpful,sothata
readercouldunderstandhowalowerclasspersonfeelsabouttechnology.
Thereisnodoubtthattherewasalargemajorityofappreciationfortechnologyin
boththeHandynastyandintheRomanRepublic.HuanGuanwasaHangovernment
officialwhobelievedtechnologywassufficientinthegovernment,butthatthepolicies
neededtobechangedtomakethelivesofsmallbusinessownersmoreenjoyable.He
statesthatthetoolsmadebyindividualfamilieswereextremelywellmade,butthose
massproducedbythestatewereoftencrudeandnotveryfunctional.(doc2.)Huan
Guanwantsthemonopolizationofthemassproductionoftechnologytochange,
becausetheoldtoolshelpedthelivesofworkersmorethanthenewonesdo.Another
documentthatwouldhelptoseethistheoryisfromtheworkerswhousedthesetools.
Furthermore,PlutarchbelievedthatRomestechnologywasimportantfortheupper
classpeopleofRometolookmoreadvancedthanothersocieties.Hestatesthatmany
ofthewonderfulroadsofRomehadstoneslocatedatcertainintervalsbytheroads,so
thatitwouldbeeasierforthosewhohadhorsestomounttheirhorsesonthesideofthe
road.(doc.6)Horsedrawnchariotswereawayofshowingthatsomeonewasintelligent
orwealthy.Whoeverstopsonthesideoftheroadtotieuptheirhorsewouldprobably
beanimportantlookingperson.Adocumenttohelpunderstandthisbetterwouldbe
fromcitizensofdifferentclassrankingstalkingabouttechnologyinbothChinaand

Rome.Itwouldhelptoseetheperspectivesofpeoplefromalldifferentsocialand
economicclasses.
Whethertheuseoftechnologyisforthebetterofthepeople,ortomaketheircity
lookastonishinglybeautiful,technologywasconsideredveryimportanttoboth
civilizations.Theoverallattitudeforbothcivilizationwasthattechnologywasimportant
andsufficient.