Introduction to the History of Technology
MIT OpenCourseWare offers this survey of how technology in the United States took shape through technical, cultural, and political forces across the 19th and 20th centuries. The course traces the industrialization of production and consumption, the rise of engineering as a profession, and the growth of management practices that shaped machines and workplaces. It also examines how technological systems intersected with gender roles and how the relationship between humans and machines evolved alongside industrial capitalism. Materials include the full syllabus, lecture topics, readings, and assignments as used in the MIT class, free to access with no certificate offered. The course suits anyone wanting a grounded, case-based introduction to the history of technology rather than a purely celebratory account of invention and progress.