Technology in America : A History of Individuals and Ideas

The succinct, nontechnical essays in Technology in Americacover the history of American invention from Thomas Jefferson's founding of the Patent Office to Robert Goddards space-age rockets. Each treats an individual and a concept, highlighting the important role technological change has played in the evolution of American culture. The major themes include the effects of technology transfer, the development of the American system of manufacturing, the institutionalization of knowledge and scientific research, and technology as it social process. This new edition adds chapters on Frederick Winslow, who originated the idea of scientific management; on Peter L. Jensen, whose invention of the loud speaker was a milestone in electronic communications; and on Frederick E. Terman, godfather of Silicon Valley and exemplar of the entrepreneurial spirit of the postwar computer industry. Carroll W. Pursell, Jr., is Director of the Program in the History of Technology and Science at Case Western Reserve, University.