HISTORY OF COMPUTERS Vocabulary
Famous People and Inventions
Abacus – This is considered to be the first calculating device. The Chinese
developed it in the year 2600 B.C.
John Napier – He developed “Napier’s Rods.” It was a calculator made from rods. It
allowed people to multiply numbers faster.
Blaise Pascal – He was a mathematician who developed the “Pascaline.” This was
the first mechanical adding machine. The Pascaline was a wooden box that could
add and subtract by using a series of gears and wheels.
Joseph Jacquard – He developed a weaving machine that was controlled by punch
cards. This invention led to the method of storing information by using punch cards.
Herman Hollerith – He invented the “Tabulating Machine.” The Tabulating Machine
used punch cards to store information. It was later used to tabulate the U.S.
Census.
Charles Babbage – He is known as the “Father of Computers.” He developed the
Difference Engine and the Analytical Engine. These two machines were powered
by steam to move the punch cards and operate the gears. His ideas were later
used to design calculators and computers.
Ada Lovelace – She is considered to be the first computer programmer. She wrote
a computer language for the Analytical Engine.
Steve Jobs – He developed the very first Apple computer from his garage.
Bill Gates – He created the computer language known as “Windows.” He also made
the Personal Computer (PC) popular by bringing it over from Japan.
The Development of Computers
Vacuum Tubes (1940’s) – They were electronic devices that controlled the flow of electricity in and
out of a computer. They looked like long light bulbs.
Transistors (1950’s) – Transistors replaced the use of vacuum tubes. They controlled the flow of
electricity in and out of the computer. They were much more reliable than the vacuum tubes.
Integrated Circuits (1960’s) – Jack Kirby designed the integrated circuit. A circuit is a tiny chip that
contains thousands of tiny circuits. Integrated circuits are about the size of a fingernail and are
made from silicone (hard plastic). They allow electricity to flow throughout the computer.
Microprocessors (1970’s) – Microprocessors were developed by M.E. Hoff. It allowed scientists to
put more complex circuits and large memory storage on a very small computer chip.
Early Computers
Mark I (1944) – This was the very first electronic computer. Mark I was designed by Howard Aiken
and Grace Hopper. It could automatically solve differential equations and prepare mathematical
tables.
Electronical Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC) – This was the first all electric computer.
John Eckert and John Mauchly developed the ENIAC in 1946. It was very large and consumed a
large amount of electricity. It was not used after 1955.
Electronic Discrete Variable Computer (EDVAC) – John Von Neumann developed the EDVAC. It
was one of the first computers to use memory to store programs and data.
The Five Generations of Computers
Generations
New Technology
Years Used
Computers Used
1st
Vacuum Tubes
1940’s – 1950’s
2nd
Transistors
Late 1050’s – Early 1960’s
3rd
Integrated Circuits
Late 1960’s – 1970’s
4th
Microprocessor (CPU)
Microprocessor & AI
(Artificial Intelligence)
1980’s – 1990’s
2000’s – Present day
computers
Mark I – ENIAC – EDVAC
IBM – NCR – RCA –
UNIVAC
Mainframe &
Minicomputers
Microcomputers
5th
Microcomputers and beyond