American Iron, 1607-1900 (Johns Hopkins Studies in the History of Technology) - Softcover

Gordon, Robert B.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0801868165 ISBN 13: 9780801868160

Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001

Synopsis

By applying their abundant natural resources to ironmaking early in the eighteenth century, Americans soon made themselves felt in world markets. After the Revolution, ironmakers supplied the materials necessary to the building of American industry, pushing the fuel efficiency and productivity of their furnaces far ahead of their European rivals.

In American Iron, 1607-1900, Robert B. Gordon draws on recent archaeological findings as well as archival research to present an ambitious, comprehensive survey of iron technology in America from the colonial period to the industry's demise at about the turn of the twentieth century. Closely examining the techniques―the "hows"―of ironmaking in its various forms, Gordon offers new interpretations of labor, innovation, and product quality in ironmaking, along with references to the industry's environmental consequences. He establishes the high level of skills required to ensure efficient and safe operation of furnaces and to improve the quality of iron product. By mastering founding, fining, puddling, or bloom smelting, ironworkers gained a degree of control over their lives not easily attained by others.

About this title

From the Publisher

"This long-needed book is the best one-volume work extant on how ferrous metals were manufactured before the industrial revolution swept across the United States in the late 19th century . . . The value of this informing study is enhanced by the quality of the maps, scale drawings and pictures."—American Scientist

"A fascinating history of the iron industry . . . Gordon's strong interests in historic metallurgy and industrial archaeology provide a unique perspective that makes this a valuable addition to the literature."—Michigan Historical Review

About the Author

Robert B. Gordon is a professor of geophysics and applied mechanics at Yale University. His books include The Texture of Industry, Toward a New Iron Age?, and A Landscape Transformed.

Edition details

• Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0801868165
• ISBN 13: 9780801868160
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 344