Technical Innovation in American History: An Encyclopedia of Science and Technology

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.