History of Computing and Technology (before 1900 AD)

  • 1000 BCE

    Invention of the Abacus

    Invention of the Abacus
    The abacus was created between 1000 BC to 500 BC in response to merchants who needed to quickly calculate their goods bought and sold and gains and losses.The abacus was invented as a result of this need, which would ultimately help boost commerce. Without performing actual calculations, the abacus helped anyone using it to keep track of the calculated results that they did in their heads.
  • 1500

    Invention of the mechanical calculator

    Invention of the mechanical calculator
    The computing industry was boosted in 1500 AD with Leonardo da Vinci's invention of the mechanical calculator.
  • Invention of the Punched Card

    Invention of the Punched Card
    In 1800, Joseph-Marie Jacquard revolutionized the computing industry with the invention of the punched card. His invention quickly spread to other fields where it would be used to speed up computation and store information.
  • Invention of Boolean Algebra

    Invention of Boolean Algebra
    Boolean Algebra was first introduced in 1847 by George Boole. The invention of Boolean Algebra opened up the fields of mathematics, engineering, and computing to the new frontiers in logic.
  • Invention of the Paper Tape

    Invention of the Paper Tape
    Sir Charles Wheatstone invented the paper tape in 1857 in order to store information. With the paper tape, huge amounts of data could be fed into the computing device and similar questions could be stored. His invention ultimately brought computing into a new era.
  • The Link Between Boolean Algebra and Circuits

    The Link Between Boolean Algebra and Circuits
    A major breakthrough in mathematics, engineering, and computing science occurred in 1886, when Charles Pierce linked Boolean Algebra to circuits based on switches.
  • Invention of the Venn Diagrams

    Invention of the Venn Diagrams
    In 1890 John Venn invented the Venn Diagrams, which are now used extensively in switching algebras in both hardware and software development.
  • Invention of the Tabulating Machine

    Invention of the Tabulating Machine
    In 1890, Herman Hollerith invented the Tabulating Machine. Hollerith's invention draw on Jacquard's punched card to read the presence or absence of holes. The data read was to be collected using an automatic electrical tabulating machine with large number of clock-like counters that summed up and accumulated the results in a number of selected categories.