This book describes twelve inventions that transformed the United States from a rural and small-town community to an industrial country of unprecedented power. These inventions demonstrate that no one person is ever responsible for technological advances and that the culture produces a number of people who work together to create each new invention. The book also shows the influences of technology on society and examines the beliefs and attitudes of those who partake in technological advances. The book is both a sociological analysis and a history of technology in the United States in the past two hundred years.

Gerhard Falk is professor of sociology at Buffalo State College. He is the author of 24 boos and 42 journal articles. He has been awarded the New York State Research Foundation's Award for Scholarship; the Buffalo State College President's Award for Creativity and The New York State University Chancellor's Award for Excellence.

Acknowledgments
Introduction: The History and Influence of Technology and Science on American Culture
Chapter One: The Steam Engine
Chapter Two: The Automobile (The Internal Combustion Engine)
Chapter Three: The McCormick Reaper and the Agricultural Revolution
Chapter Four: The Sewing Machine, the Textile Industry, and the Role of Women
Chapter Five: The American Gun Culture
Chapter Six: The Telegraph and the Telephone
Chapter Seven: Radio and Television
Chapter Eight: The Motion Picture
Chapter Nine: The Airplane
Chapter Ten: The Computer, the Internet, and the World Wide Web
Epilogue: Technology and Social Change
Bibliography
Index