Networked Machinists: High-Technology Industries in Antebellum America (Johns Hopkins Studies in the History of Technology)

A century and a half before the modern information technology revolution, machinists in the eastern United States created the nation's first high technology industries. In iron foundries and steam-engine works, locomotive works, machine and tool shops, textile-machinery firms, and firearms manufacturers, these resourceful workers pioneered the practice of dispersing technological expertise through communities of practice. In the first book to study this phenomenon since the 1916 classic, English and American Tool Builders, David R. Meyer examines the development of skilled-labor exchange systems, showing how individual metalworking sectors grew and moved outward. He argues that the networked behavior of machinists within and across industries helps explain the rapid transformation of metalworking industries during the antebellum period, building a foundation for the sophisticated, mass production/consumer industries that figured so prominently in the later U.S. economy. (2007) A Century And A Half Before The Modern Information Technology Revolution, Machinists In The Eastern United States Created The Nation's First High Technology Industries. In Iron Foundries And Steam-engine Works, Locomotive Works, Machine And Tool Shops, Textile-machinery Firms, And Firearms Manufacturers, These Resourceful Workers Pioneered The Practice Of Dispersing Technological Expertise Through Communities Of Practice. In The First Book To Study This Phenomenon Since The 1916 Classic, English And American Tool Builders, David R. Meyer Examines The Development Of Skilled-labor Exchange Systems, Showing How Individual Metalworking Sectors Grew And Moved Outward. He Argues That The Networked Behavior Of Machinists Within And Across Industries Helps Explain The Rapid Transformation Of Metalworking Industries During The Antebellum Period, Building A Foundation For The Sophisticated, Mass Production/consumer Industries That Figured So Prominently In The Later U.s. Economy.--publisher's Website. Introduction: Machinists' Traces -- I: The Formation Of The Networks, 1790-1820 -- Iron Foundries Become Early Hubs Of Machinist Networks -- A Networked Community Built By Cotton Textile Machinists -- The Federal Armories And Private Firearms Firms Operate In Open Networks -- Ii: The Elaboration Of The Networks, 1820-1860 -- Iron Foundries Rule The Heavy Capital Equipment Industry -- Networked Machinists Build Locomotives -- Resilient Cotton Textile Machinist Networks -- The Cradles Of The Metalworking Machinery Industry -- Machine Tool Networks -- Machinists' Networks Forge The Pivotal Producer Durables Industry. David R. Meyer. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [283]-305) And Index. High-technology workers of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries obviously employ networks to build innovative firms and transform industries. A century and a half before the modern information technology revolution, however, machinists in the eastern United States created the nation's first high technology industries. In metalworking industries such as iron foundries and steam engine works, locomotive works, general machine shops, textile machinery firms, firearms manufacturers, and machine tools, these resourceful workers pioneered the practice of dispersing technological expertise through communities of practice. In the first book to study this phenomenon since the 1916 classic, "English and American Tool Builders", David R. Meyer freshly examines the development of skilled-labor exchange systems, showing how individual metalworking sectors grew and moved outward. He argues that the networked behavior of machinists within and across industries helps explain the rapid transformation of metalworking industries during the antebellum period, building a foundation for the sophisticated, mass production/consumer industries that figured so prominently in the later U.S. economy Contents......Page 6 List of Illustrations......Page 8 List of Tables......Page 10 Acknowledgments......Page 12 Introduction. Machinists’ Traces......Page 16 PART I: THE FORMATION OF THE NETWORKS, 1790–1820......Page 38 1 Iron Foundries Become Early Hubs of Machinist Networks......Page 40 2 A Networked Community Built by Cotton Textile Machinists......Page 65 3 The Federal Armories and Private Firearms Firms Operate in Open Networks......Page 88 PART II: THE ELABORATION OF THE NETWORKS, 1820–1860......Page 120 4 Iron Foundries Rule the Heavy Capital Equipment Industry......Page 122 5 Networked Machinists Build Locomotives......Page 161 6 Resilient Cotton Textile Machinist Networks......Page 187 7 The Cradles of the Metalworking Machinery Industry......Page 232 8 Machine Tool Networks......Page 255 9 Machinists’ Networks Forge the Pivotal Producer Durables Industry......Page 287 Abbreviations......Page 296 Notes......Page 298 Essay on Sources......Page 316 C......Page 322 J......Page 323 N......Page 324 S......Page 325 W......Page 326

A century and a half before the modern information technology revolution, machinists in the eastern United States created the nation's first high technology industries. In iron foundries and steam-engine works, locomotive works, machine and tool shops, textile-machinery firms, and firearms manufacturers, these resourceful workers pioneered the practice of dispersing technological expertise through communities of practice.

In the first book to study this phenomenon since the 1916 classic, English and American Tool Builders, David R. Meyer examines the development of skilled-labor exchange systems, showing how individual metalworking sectors grew and moved outward. He argues that the networked behavior of machinists within and across industries helps explain the rapid transformation of metalworking industries during the antebellum period, building a foundation for the sophisticated, mass production/consumer industries that figured so prominently in the later U.S. economy.