A Companion to the History of American Science

A Companion to the History of American Science presents an authoritative overview of the most recent scholarship on the history of American science--from the intellectual curiosity of the Founding Fathers to the country’s cutting-edge technological achievements in the 21st century. Featuring contributions from a wide range of established and emerging scholars in related scientific fields, essays explore specific sciences, the intersections of modern science and American society, and techno-science issues in American science historiography. Essays are written with an eye toward accessibility for students, scholars, and non-specialists alike, and cover topics ranging from astronomy, agriculture, biology, chemistry, ecology, and eugenics to relativity, military technology, Big Science, and many more. A key theme is the fundamental question of how the United States--with so few scientific resources and lagging far behind its European counterparts at the beginning of the 19^th century--so rapidly developed into an influential and productive scientific community. A Companion to the History of American Science offers illuminating insights into the histories of various disciplines and important topics in the two-and-a half century narrative of scientific minds, policies, and events that transpired in the United States.