The Role of Technology for Americans - Essay Example

Technology ended the physical and intellectual isolation of Americans “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Arthur. C. Clarke Technology can indeed create magical transformations in the life of human beings. The USA was able to transform itself into a major superpower only through its technological advancements. North America was separated from the rest of the world by the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans. This great barrier served as a natural fortress which both protected and separated it from the happenings of the rest of world. The technological advancements which started in the 19th century and flourished during the 20th century in the west was largely responsible for eliminating the physical, cultural and mental isolation of the Americans and connecting them with the wider world. 1865 to 1915 Though the 20th century is largely known as the technological era, the seeds for these massive scientific developments were laid way back in the 19th century all over the western world. Americans made communication, transportation and cultural autonomy theirs through the marvellous developments which occurred during this time. Transatlantic telegraph cable connection which was started to pass messages successfully in 1866 changed the way the world communicated with America. Earlier it used to take at least ten days to receive a mail passed through ships. These telegraph cables made sending and receiving messages across the ocean several times a day possible. It transformed the way business was done then leading to a major economic surge. The second notable discovery was Edison’s electricity 1879 and Nikola Tesla’s plug in AC devices and battery run DC devices. His induction motor and electrical power distribution systems enabled electricity to reach the nook and corner of the nation quite easily (Danbom, 1995). Edison’s electricity became so famous only because Tesla found a way to harness it through batteries so quickly. Both Tesla and Edison laid the foundation for a new America. Their contribution in the field of technologically developed America is equivalent to that of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson in winning the freedom for the country. Several new industries sprung like the mushrooms and all the existing industries started to use electricity massively after this discovery. They were able to produce massive amount of perfect goods in a very short time using this advancement. Hence, arouse the need for faster transportation. Animal pulled carts and wind powered boats were no longer enough to meet their necessity (Bonner, 2009). Steam power boats and rail engines started to occur. The Clermont service or the North River Steamboat started by Robert Fulton started gaining extreme popularity (Bowles, 2011). Though these services existed from the beginning of the century, they were mass produced and put into full use only after the invention of electricity and mobile motors. Electrical controlled street cars also started to appear very closely. The first cable car was invented in 1873 and the electric street car in 1887. The massive advancement of technology in communication enabled the Americans to talk with the outer world freely. Several families were able to trace out their roots in the European countries and talk to their loved ones who were away on work or war. The fast transportation helped them explore the various regions within their own country and the outer world giving them a chance to see various cultures. This helped in shaping or rather liberating the mind of the next generation Americans. The electrical advancements made America a dominant force in the world, which cannot be avoided by any other developing country. 1916 – 1966 This is an era which saw various tensions due to the technological advancements. America entered World War I in 1917. The American Army’s role in World War I was quite short but significant. The Meuse-Argonne, considered as the nations, most significant war was fought then. The advancements in technologies led to massive increase in disposable income of the people. The advent of the war, bought out several women out of their traditional roles as wives and daughters into various professional jobs like nurses and clerks. Women still did not have the right to vote, were largely discriminated in terms of wage and working hours, but many notable groups started to work for them. Women Suffrage movement demanding the freedom to vote occurred all over the US. They were the pioneers of women freedom movements. The blacks who worked tirelessly in the World War I experienced severe racial differences after the war. The blacks who worked along with President Theodore Roosevelt in groups like Rough Riders felt they were let down when they did not receive due respect. Henry Ford, considered the major business man of the century, introduced and popularized the concept of the personal vehicles. The tension created due to the mistreatment of the black people led to events like Montgomery bus boycott and the Memphis Boycott. These strikes further initiated the necessary to own a new vehicle for every family as a must. Ford’s company was producing nearly a full car each minute with all the technological advancements. He made best use of the tension in the American society to establish a great industrial empire. The era also saw massive surges in military operations during the Second World War. The growth of the automobile industry led to overall increase in employment in the field of rubber production, automobile service, steel and glass production etc. People had more money to spend but did not have a vision. The great depression of the 1930’s came a death blow to America’s strong economy. Again technology saved the nation. America started to make and sell war weapons to both Germans and the Allied forces. They survived the Great depression mainly because of the Second World War. With the end of the war, American women achieved whatever they have dream of, freedom, liberty to vote, equal rights and many more. The war heroes and the women who worked home had enough money to spend. They paved way for new age of consumerism, but still no matter how much they earned, they always had something new to buy. Entered Sloan with his buy and pay in instalments scheme. Alfred Sloan, the leader of General motors was the first great Businessman to sell automobiles on credit. Sloanism soon spread to every part of consumer goods sale, paving way for a new frenzy spending. The post-war America produced and marketed a plethora of objects in every field starting form plastic to rubber. Several new technologies were developed to improve everything from simple needle to nuclear energy. The era also saw the inception of major entertainment goods like Radio, Television sets, computers, etc. Industries switched from producing huge and heavy products like nuts and bolts into manufacturing entertainment oriented products like transistors, radios, electrical toys etc. The post-war Americans no longer felt isolated after this enormous growth in technology. Only all other nations of the world struggled to follow its lead and felt left out in the major technology revolution. Immigrants from all over the world, from the nearby Mexico to far away China started flooding the US shores in search of jobs and the dream of making huge money. The major growth in the airlines industry is also an even worth mentioning. Though the Wright Brothers got the license for the air planes long back, it was after the Trans Atlantic flight travels by Charles Lindbergh, the American public realized the potential for commercial flights. Several notable airlines like the Pan American started to appear in the country then. Today, no other country in the world has such an advanced fleet of local air services as in America. The American military boasts of having the most advanced flights in the history. Needless to say about the part, American Air Force played in ending the Second World War. 1977 till 2012 This is a period where people actually started to enjoy the fruits of former eras struggle. The post-war America had a much tolerant society which encouraged the upcoming of the black people and the freedom of Women. Every person who entered America from any part of the world had his or her own chance to make it big in the nation of wonders. Americans got exposure to ample different cultures and trades, making them more tolerable to differences than any other community in the world. Till date America is the only place on earth where a rock concert, a traditional Opera and traditional Chinese music are played one after another in bars and pubs. The cultural isolation Americans felt in the earlier generations no longer exists. Technology transformed the nation into a huge market where anyone capable can open their own shop and sell their goods without any difference of class, creed or race. Two major discoveries of this era were the computer and the internet. Internet in 20th century is what electricity was in the 18th century. It simply redefined the ways people think and communicate. TV was defined as “answer to man’s ageless yearning for eyes and ears to pierce the barrier of distance” (Tichi, 1991) in the past century. Wonder what they would say about internet. The wonder mirror capable of showing what happened in any part of the world described in fairy tales took shape in TV and came into existence through internet. The way men think, work and do businesses have been influenced enormously in the past two decades after the invention of internet. Herman Hollerith would have never believed his punching machine designed to help in census will take the form of tabloid and fit his pocket within such a short time. The Information revolution paved way for major reforms in the employment and business. Internet made Outsourcing work to other countries possible, it geared revolutions through social networking sites and so on. No major company including IBM could do business without internet today. The virtual world will continue to grow massively in the future too. Medical field also saw major advancements in this century. Until the post-war America, the greatest development in medicine was limited to dressing the wounds and penicillin. It estimated the Spanish flu killed more people in 24 weeks than AIDS did in 24 years in those days. But, the modern medical advancements can cure ailments much worse than the Spanish flu for a very little cost with limited resources. The medical field made use of the advancements in the transportation, electricity and communication field enormously to grow as a whole. Several new machineries mass produce huge piles of medication every day. Patients are transported across the continents in a very short period of time for treatment. Drugs which can simply make or break a person’s personality and muscle structure are available. Doctors can simply instruct equipments with their voice to perform major surgeries from elsewhere in the world. Americans have always felt they did not have a culture and lacked the rich traditional medicinal knowledge like the ones available in China and India. Technology simply helped them to make up for it with its enormous growth in this century. Today the alternate traditional medicines are fast dwindling among the massive growth of the modern medicine which had its roots in Europe, but grew strongly in the US soil. Conclusion Isolation in transitional America occurred because of its secluded geographical position, crude climate and limited contacts with the outer world. The American’s overcame their lack of cultural inadequacy in various fields like medicine, music, art and defence only with the help of technology. They did not know the art of healing a person with herbs hence they invented pills and chemistry. They did not know the art of creating music with animal skin and hence electrical drums and guitars. They lacked tradition which they made up with technology. All they did know was how to create a new world with the help of their hard work and unflinching spirit. The world looks upon them as the leaders in technology, economy and war fare today, putting behind their own traditional riches. Achieving such a position involved centuries of struggle and dauntless work, for which every American should salute their forefathers wholeheartedly. References 1. American Society’s Dependence on Technology. Retrieved 26 November from: www.mbcnet.org/american-societys-dependence-on-technology.htm 2. Bowles, M. (2011). A history of the United States since 1865. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education. 3. Technological Innovation in the United States, 1790-1865. . Retrieved 26 November rrom: http://site.ebrary.com/lib/ashford/Doc?id=10363234&ppg=8 4. Bonner,P., (2009). http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/index.php?lid=719&type=educator 5. Bonner, P., (2009). Transportation: They say we had a revolution. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston. Retrieved 26 November from http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/index.php?lid=719&type=educa’ 6. Danbom, David B, (1995) . Born in the Country: A History of Rural America. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. Read More