A Pedagogical Legacy? Abacus Tradition and Surprising Connections. From the Liber Abaci (1202) to the economic education in Early Modern Period

Abstract

The abacus tradition had a primary educational role between the late Middle Ages and the Early Modern Era. This practical pedagogy was addressed especially to the merchant and artisan classes. It developed especially in Italy through the presence of private teachers, whose didactics was based initially and primarily on Fibonacci’s works. Commercial mathematics, practical geometry, accounting systems and financial rules found in the abacus environment their incubation and development. The main objective of this article is to demonstrate some (unexpected and surprising) connections between the abacus tradition and the pedagogical evolution of the Modern Period.