HIST 405-02, Special Topics: Technology and American Society, Fall 2008

Abstract

This course will examine the history of American technology and the complex interplay between technical innovation and cultural change in the United States. Specific topics will include the American industrial revolution, the development of new forms of transportation (steamships, trains, automobiles, and airplanes), the utilization of electricity, mass production and scientific management, communications technologies, rockets and space travel, the development of atomic weapons, and the invention of computers and the internet.As a senior-level seminar, this course has strong written and oral components. Students will be required to write a major research paper and make an oral presentation about their paper before the class. In addition to gaining a solid understanding of the subjects covered in the course, students should also develop their critical reading skills, analytical skills, writing skills, and speaking and listening skills.