Science and Technology in 20th-Century American Life (Daily Life Through History Series)

by Christopher Martin Cumo

Overview

The twentieth century witnessed the greatest changes in technology and science that humans have ever witnessed. These occurred rapidly and affected such a broad range of people. Scientists, inventors, and engineers built upon the great inventions of the 19th century to expand the reach of modern technology - for a citizen in 1900, communication, transportation, and agricultural was still primarily local activities; by 2000, an American citizen was part of an interconnected global community. These developments in science and technology were also important in the social and cultural changes of the period. The Great Depression, the World Wars and Cold War, the civil rights and women's rights movements - all were greatly impacted by the rapid scientific and technological advancements in the universities and industry.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780313081538
Publisher:	Greenwood Publishing Group, Incorporated
Publication date:	08/30/2007
Series:	Greenwood Press Daily Life Through History Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	926 KB
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

About the Author

Christopher Cumo is a freelance scholar. His specialty is American regional history. He has published two books on midwestern history: Seeds of Changes, and A History of the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station, 1882-1997. He has a Ph.D in history from the University of Akron.

Table of Contents

Preface     vii
Introduction     xi
Chronology     xvii
Agriculture     1
Transportation     19
Health and Disease     35
The City     53
The Home     69
Communication and Media     83
Science, Technology, and the Military     101
Education     117
Leisure     133
Epilogue: Science and Technology in American Life-Toward the Future     149
Glossary     165
Further Reading     171
Index     177

Editorial Reviews

Provides an undergraduate-level survey of 20th-century science and technology and its social impacts in the US. Its nine categories cover agriculture, transportation, health, the city, the home, communication (including computers and the Internet), the military, education (including changes of emphasis in high school science, and the development of the evolution versus creationism controversy in high schools), and leisure….Recommended. General readers; all undergraduate and two-year technical program students.” —Choice

“Ten fact-packed chapters take readers on a fast tour of the history of technology in 20th century America—from agricultural implements through modern computers, telecommunications, and even skateboards. Along the way readers are treated to extensive descriptions of how changes in the selected technologies and areas of life intermingled….This will be a welcome resource for any high or middle school seeking a resource that emphasizes the STS or STEM approach to the social impacts of science and technology. It is a fun read and fits well with the other booksin the series on every day life.” —NSTA Recommends

From the Publisher