What do you think of when you hear the word "technology"? If the first word that came to your mind was computers, then you are not alone. Most students (and their parents and teachers!) often think this way. Would you be surprised if I told you that the history of technology really begins in prehistoric times?

Technology is defined as "any invention, including tools, machines, materials, and sources of power (energy) that makes people's work easier."

Keeping that definition in mind, we realize that technology began the first time a human used a stick or a rock as a tool or weapon. Prehistoric man's discovery of fire, the use of simple machines (such as the lever or the inclined plane), electricity and computers all count as technology.

Follow along as we discover how technology has improved coin making throughout history.