A version control system also goes by SCM (Source Control Management tool) or VCS (Version Control System).
Some history
Early 1970s - M. J. Rochkind: SCCS (Source Code Control System). Possibly the first VCS on Unix.
Early 1980s - Walter F. Tichy: RCS (Revision Control System)
1986 - Dick Grune: CVS (Concurrent Version System)
2001: SVN (Subversion)