In Scientific Americans, Susan Branson explores the place of science and technology in American cultural independence from Europe and America's nation building in the early republic and antebellum eras. This engaging tour of ordinary citizens' scientific education and practices charts the development of nationalism and national identity alongside roads, rails, and machines. Scientific Americans shows how informal scientific education provided by almanacs, public lectures, and demonstrations, along with the financial encouragement of early scientific societies, generated an enthusiasm for the application of science and technology to civic, commercial, and domestic improvements. Not only that-Americans were excited and intrigued by the practicality of innovation. Bringing together science and wonder, Branson charts how innovations from mechanical clocks to steam engines informed the creation and expansion of the American nation. From the Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations to the fate of the Amistad captives, Scientific Americans illuminates how the promotion and celebration of discoveries, inventions, and technologies articulated Americans' earliest ambitions, as well as prejudices, throughout the first American century.

Book Information
ISBN 9781501760914
Author Susan Branson
Format Hardback
Page Count 294
Imprint Cornell University Press
Publisher Cornell University Press
Weight(grams) 152g