Science and Technology in 20th-Century American Life - (Greenwood Press Daily Life Through History Series: Science a) by Christopher Cumo

About the Book

An overview of the impact that science and technology had on the everyday life of Americans in the 20th-century.

Book Synopsis

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.

Review Quotes

"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

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.