The Roots of Technological Progress

Look around at modern life. We are surrounded by technological marvels that would have astonished people from the Founding Fathers’ period. Where does technological progress come from? In this course we will investigate that question by exploring the social, political, and economic stories behind five major technological advances: the steam engine, refrigeration, the airplane, radio, and the washing machine. For each of these, we will examine what led to the invention of these new technologies (and what had previously stood in their way), how they were initially received and contested, and how they impacted society.