Until the publication of this book, historians had largely neglected the effects of technology on the course of human history. Political, economic, and social factors had long been taken into account, but technological advances were not studied in the context of the history of the ages in which they occurred. It remained for the authors of this readable, profusely illustrated survey to relate technological developments to the history of each epoch.Chronologically, the text is divided into two parts, the first telling the story up to ca. A.D. 1750 — the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in Britain — and the second continuing it up to 1900. The book begins with a general historical survey of ancient civilizations, then goes on to consider such topics as food production, metalworking, building construction, early sources of power, and the beginning of the chemical industry. The second and lengthier portion of the text focuses on the development of the steam engine, machine tools, modern transport, mining coal and metals, the rise of the modern chemical industry, textiles, the internal combustion engine, electricity, and more.To help relate the technology to the age, each section is preceded by a historical introduction and the book concludes with a series of tables designed to show the interrelation of events names in the text. Profusely illustrated and brimming with factual data, A Short History of Technology will appeal equally to students, scholars, historians of technology, and general readers.

Short History of Technology from the Earliest Times to A.D. 1900

Science & Math

T.K. Derry

Trevor I. Williams

Technology

Oxford University Press

The history of invention is the history of civilization. The very great names we use to describe the great epochs of the past - the Stone Age, the Bronze Age and the Iron Age - tell us that invention is the essence of civilization. Today, we stand on the shoulders of a thousand generations of inventors. This book is their story. From the first crude stone axe heads to the latest advances in communication technology, A HISTORY OF INVENTION tells how each technological innovation met a critical need while creating the demand and the opportunity for the next breakthrough. Literally thousands of inventions are chronicled, explained and placed in their historical, cultural and scientific context in this vivid and comprehensive account of the epic march of technology.

A History of Invention From Stone Axes to Silicon Chips

William E. Schaff Jr.

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Books by Trevor I. Williams