AMERICAN TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

HIST 3374
Spring 2006

Office Hours: T/Th 12:30-1:30 Dr. David F. Channell

and by appointment JO 5.422
Ph. (972)883-2007
channell@utdallas.edu

Date Topic Readings

Jan. 10/12 Introduction

Jan. 17/19 Colonial Technology: Cowan Ch. 1,2,3

Pursell Ch. 1

Jan. 24/26 Early Industrialization and Cowan Ch. 4

Technology Transfer-The Textile Marcus Ch.1
Revolution Pursell, Ch. 2

Jan.31/Feb.2 The Transportation Revolution: Cowan Ch.5

Canals, Steamboats & Railroad Marcus Ch.2
Pursell, Ch. 3

Feb. 7/9 The American System of Manufacturing: Pursell Ch. 4

Arms and Armories Cowan Ch. 6

Feb. 14/16 From Farms to Cities: Cowan Ch. 8

Mass Markets Marcus Ch. 3
Pursell Ch.5, 6

Feb. 21/23 Exam I (on Feb. 23) Review

Feb.28/March 2 The Neotechnic Revolution: Cowan Ch.9

The Application of Science to
Technology

March 7/9 Spring Break

March 14/16 The Communications Revolution Marcus Ch. 4

Telegraph and telephone

March 21/23 The Invention of Invention: Pursell Ch. 9

Thomas Edison

March 28/30 Systems Building Marcus Ch.5

April 4/6 Mass Production & Scientific Marcus Ch.6

Management - Henry Ford & Pursell Ch.10, 11
F.W. Taylor Cowan Ch.10

April 11/13 The Effects of Mass Production Marcus Ch. 7

April 18/20 The Military-Industrial Complex Marcus Ch.8,9,11

Course Requirements

You will be required to take two essay exams (one at midterm and the other
during the final exam period). You are also expected to keep current with the
reading assignments, attend class regularly, and participate in class discussions.

If after the midterm exam you wish to improve your grade or solidify the
grade that you have, you may do extra credit work in the form of an 8-10 page
double-spaced typed paper in which you analyze a specific issue concerning how
American culture affected some technological development, or how some specific
technology affected American culture. Your paper must use at least two sources
(books or scholarly articles – one of the sources may be an on-line source, but
not both) outside of the assigned texts. The paper will be due on April 20, 2006.
If you choose to do extra credit, the paper will be averaged as equal to one of
the exams. Note: extra credit cannot hurt your grade - if your paper is not equal
to or higher than, the average of your two exams, I will not count it as part of
your grade (exception – any evidence of plagiarism on your paper may result in a
failing grade for the entire course).

Grading Extra Credit Grading

Exam I 45% Exam I 30%
Exam II 45% Exam II 30%
Class Attendance/participation l0% Paper 30%
Class Attendance/participation l0%

Required Texts:

Ruth Schwartz Cowan A Social History of American Technology

Alan Marcus & H. Segal Technology in America
Carroll Pursell The Machine in America