Technical Innovation in American History: An Encyclopedia of Science and Technology [3 volumes]

Technical Innovation in American History: An Encyclopedia of Science and Technology [3 volumes]

From the invention of eyeglasses to the Internet, this three-volume set examines the pivotal effects of inventions on society, providing a fascinating history of technology and innovations in the United States from the earliest European colonization to the present. Technical Innovation in American History surveys the history of technology, documenting the chronological and thematic connections between specific inventions, technological systems, individuals, and events that have contributed to the history of science and technology in the United States. Covering eras from colonial times to the present day in three chronological volumes, the entries include innovations in fields such as architecture, civil engineering, transportation, energy, mining and oil industries, chemical industries, electronics, computer and information technology, communications (television, radio, and print), agriculture and food technology, and military technology. The A–Z entries address key individuals, events, organizations, and legislation related to themes such as industry, consumer and medical technology, military technology, computer technology, and space science, among others, enabling readers to understand how specific inventions, technological systems, individuals, and events influenced the history, cultural development, and even self-identity of the United States and its people. The information also spotlights how American culture, the U.S. government, and American society have specifically influenced technological development. Gr 9 Up-Welch and Lamphier end the first volume of this encyclopedia of the United States' history of science and technology in 1865, the second after World War II, and the last in 2017. Each volume has three chronological sections; entries are arranged alphabetically by inventor or invention-some minor (clothespins), some major (vaccines). Abundant text boxes excerpt relevant primary documents, such as Thomas Jefferson's letter to surveyor Benjamin Banneker. Numerous women are featured, including Henrietta Lacks, Rachel Carson, and Grace Hopper. One entry recognizes Native American agriculture. The American connection is not always obvious: articles on aspirin, batteries, and velocipede name only French, German, or Italian scientists, citing no particular relevance to U.S. history. On the other hand, John Jacob Loud, an American credited with designing the ballpoint pen, is overlooked. Often Europeans are not identified as such, and readers may erroneously assume that these individuals are American. There is no mention of Operation Paperclip or Unit 731, which recruited scientists from Nazi Germany and Japan to boost U.S. postwar technical development. The climate change article acknowledges scientific consensus while suggesting possible technological solutions. Not every invention is hailed: the cotton gin article notes that it reinvigorated slavery; "plastics" cites some environmental consequences; discussion of the atomic bomb is somber. Cross-references, black-and-white photographs, overviews for each subperiod, and the back matter make this set an effective launching pad for further research. VERDICT Suitable for high school students interested in technology and history.-Patricia D. Lothrop, formerly at St. George's School, Newport, RIα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. “Recommended. Undergraduates and general readers.” ― Choice “Suitable for high school students interested in technology and history.” ― School Library Journal “Overall, the coverage and the quality of the essays is exceptional, and this tome should be a part of any K-12 library and college/university library as a major resource on this topic.” ― ARBA “Overall, the coverage and the quality of the essays is exceptional, and this tome should be a part of any school library as a major resource on this topic. . . Recommended.” ― School Library Journal Rosanne Welch is Executive Director of the Stephens College MFA in TV and Screenwriting, USA. She has TV writing credits on Beverly Hills 90210, Picket Fences, Nightline and Touched by an Angel . Her award-winning publications include When Women Wrote Hollywood (2018) and Women in American History (2017). She has additionally written American Women's History on Film (2023) and The Civil War on Film (2021). Peg. A. Lamphier , PhD, teaches interdisciplinary humanities at California State Polytechnic University and Women's History at Mount San Antonio College. Lamphier wrote Kate Chase and William Sprague: Politics and Gender in a Civil War Marriage (2003) and Spur Up Your Pegasus: Family Letters of Salmon, Kate, and Nettie Chase, 1844–1873 (2009), and coedited Women in American History: A Social, Political, and Cultural Encyclopedia and Document Collection (ABC-CLIO 2017) and Technological Innovation in American History: An Encyclopedia (ABC-CLIO 2019). She also co-authore