Hand tools have been used by humans since the Stone Age when stones were first used for hammering and cutting. A hand tool is any tool that is powered only by the operator, rather than a motor. During the Bronze Age, tools were made by casting copper and tin alloys. Bronze tools were sharper and harder than those made of stone. Eventually, the use of iron replaced the use of bronze (the Iron Age), which contributed to hand tools becoming even stronger and more durable. The Romans developed tools during this period which are very similar to the modern hand tools being produced today.

Today's hand tools are manufactured in factories and divided into six general categories by use and type. These include the following:

• Measuring, Layout and Marking Tools

• Saws

• Chisels and Planes

• Drilling Tools

• Shaping and Smoothing Tools

• Striking and Fastening Tools

For the purpose of our class, we are going to classify tools in three broader categories: Tools that Measure and Mark, Tools that Manipulate and Tools that Divide.