America Before Industry

America Before Industry

What is technology?

we tend to think of it as machines, particularly computers
but it certainly includes the tools people use, no matter how unsophisticated
technology also includes specific processes for modifying the environment, even if they aren't physical objects
two kinds of technology--craft technology and technology that is developed by formal scientific research
basic science is knowledge for the sake of knowledge
spectrum: pure science--applied science--engineering science--engineering research--engineering development

One theme of this course is how the process of technological change has speeded up. To see that change we need to understand that the pace of technological progress was very different before the 19th century.

yeoman farmer's cabin

Colonial Americans used essentially medieval technology, with a few notable improvements

early colonial farmers often didn't even have plows, and those they had weren't well suited for conditions until the invention of the shovel plow in the mid-1700s

shovel plow

relied on farming techniques they learned from the native Americans
a local blacksmith and in richer towns a local carpenter
basic knowledge about building and even metalworking was widely diffused, specialized knowledge very rare
most goods used (eg. cloth, soap, candles) were made at home in many areas
Southern plantations had to be more organized and had specialized artisans, often slaves, but didn't have much need of labor-saving devices
an improved axe was one of the most important American contributions--allowing trees to be felled three times faster

Hagood Mill, Pickens, SC, PEM photo

water and wind powered mills were widely used to grind grain and saw wood

these varied in design depending on the scale of the operation
locally built except for a few key components

Grist Mill

iron smelting Iron was smelted on what were called iron plantations , using charcoal as the fuel

these were particularly common in Pennsylvania and Virginia
even in the north they were first worked by slaves
some ironworking techniques were brought by slaves from Africa, which had its own tradition of small-scale iron-smelting
plentiful supplies of ore and wood meant little need for technological innovation

African Iron Smelting

Trade was the center of the economy

mercantile theory of the role of goverment--government promotes and controls trade
England enforced a colonial order, seeking to prevent manufacture in the colonies
see Marcus for more discussion

after the American revolution the industrial revolution in Britain began to have an effect

when land was cleared for agriculture trees were often burned and the ashes sold for the manufacture of potash
settlers were interested in cash crops and purchased more necessities
many people moved west from the long-settled coast
James Feminore Cooper, The Pioneers, gives a very vivid account