Description
Book SynopsisIn the second edition of The Machine in America, Pursell brings this classic history up to date with a revised chapter on war technology and new discussions on information technology, globalization, and the environment.
Trade ReviewThe Machine in America's modest preface fails to acknowledge the magnitude of the task undertaken by Carroll Pursell... This book succeeds in achieving Pursell's goals. -- Robert Martello Isis 2008 Certainly one of the best introductions to the history of American technology... Highly recommended. Choice 2008 What differentiates this book and makes it especially appealing is its coverage of agricultural and environmental topics. These subjects are often overlooked by historians of technology, and Pursell's inclusion of them represents an important step toward integrating these fields. -- Nicholas Buchanan Agricultural History 2009 The Machine in America has been enduring for multiple reasons, including its solid prose, excellent illustrations and captions, use of current themes (gender, race, class), focus on how society constructs technology, and a critical view of technology as something that historically has been used in America, all too often, to reinforce the powerful rather than help the weak. Industrial Archaeology 2008
Table of ContentsPreface
Introduction
I. The Transit of Technology
1. The Tools Brought Over
2. Importing the Industrial Revolution
3. Improving Transportation
II. The Domestication of the Industrial Revolution
4. The Expansion of American Manufactures
5. The Mechanization of Farming
III. The Imprint of American Technology
6. Creating an Urban Environment
7. Westward the Course of Industry
8. Export, Exploitation, and Empire
IV. Technology and Hegemony
9. The Coming of Science and Systems
10. The Decade of Prosperity and Consumption
11. Depression: Study and Subsidy
12. Wars and the "American Century"
13. Challenge and Change in a Postmodern World
V. Globalization
14. Our (Un)Wired World
15. America's Global Reach
Notes
Further Reading
Index
