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Science is a core value of Western culture. Scientific knowledge is made possible by reason and, therefore, the history of science is, to an important extent, the history of Western culture and its development.

These four online volumes cover the history of science up to the early 20th century. Scientific concepts are explained for the most part chronologically, as they were discovered and developed, allowing one to better understand and appreciate the science, as well as the scientists.

A History of Science
by Henry Smith Williams (Links take you to Project Gutenberg)

Volume 1 is online and available free here.

Chapter I. Prehistoric Science
Chapter II. Egyptian Science
Chapter III. Science of Babylonia and Assyria
Chapter IV. The Development of the Alphabet
Chapter V.  The Beginnings of Greek Science
Chapter VI. The Early Greek Philosophers in Italy
Chapter VII. Greek Science in the Early Attic Period
Chapter VIII. Post-Socratic Science at Athens
Chapter IX. Greek Science of the Alexandrian or Hellenistic Period
Chapter X. Science of the Roman Period
Chapter XI. A Retrospective Glance at Classical Science


Volume 2 is online and available free here.

Chapter I. Science in the Dark Age
Chapter II. Medieval Science among the Arabians
Chapter III. Medieval Science in the West
Chapter IV. The New Cosmology--Copernicus to Kepler and Galileo
Chapter V. Galileo and the New Physics
Chapter VI. Two Pseudo-Sciences--Alchemy and Astrology
Chapter VII. From Paracelsus to Harvey
Chapter VIII. Medicine in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries
Chapter IX. Philosopher-Scientists and New Institutions of Learning
Chapter X. The Successors of Galileo in Physical Science
Chapter XI. Newton and the Composition of Light
Chapter XII. Newton and the Law of Gravitation
Chapter XIII. Instruments of Precision in the Age of Newton
Chapter XIV. Progress in Electricity from Gilbert and Von Guericke to Franklin
Chapter XV. Natural History to the Time of Linnaeus
 

Volume 3 is online and available free here.  

Chapter I. The Successors of Newton in Astronomy
Chapter II. The Progress of Modern Astronomy
Chapter III. The New Science of Paleontology
Chapter IV. The Origin and Development of Modern Geology
Chapter V. The New Science of Meteorology
Chapter VI. Modern Theories of Heat and Light
Chapter VII. The Modern Development of Electricity and Magnetism
Chapter VIII. The Conservation of Energy
Chapter IX. The Ether and Ponderable Matter
 

Volume 4 is online and available free here.

Chapter I. The Phlogiston Theory in Chemistry
Chapter II. The Beginnings of Modern Chemistry
Chapter III. Chemistry since the Time of Dalton
Chapter IV. Anatomy and Physiology in the Eighteenth Century
Chapter V. Anatomy and Physiology in the Nineteenth Century
Chapter VI. Theories of Organic Evolution
Chapter VII. Eighteenth-Century Medicine
Chapter VIII. Nineteenth-Century Medicine
Chapter IX. The New Science of Experimental Psychology
Chapter X. The New Science of Oriental Archaeology