2021 Faculty Courses Liberal arts and basic science courses Humanities and social science courses
History of Technology A
- Academic unit or major
- Humanities and social science courses
- Instructor(s)
- Manabu Kobayashi
- Class Format
- Lecture
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 5-6 Mon (W521)
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- LAH.T103
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2021
- Offered quarter
- 4Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 10, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course introduces the history of technology in modern times.
The course analyzes how technology develops. I also take up the industrial revolution in Britain in 18-19th century, the British Iron and steel industry, a relationship between imperialism and technology, and American system of manufactures.
This offers students characters and problems of the modern technology that is originated from the history of technology.
Course description and aims
1, Analyze the mechanism of technological development to take up the British industrial revolution as the typical example.
2, Understand the developments of technology after the 19th century and the influence of it upon the modern society.
3, Understand characters and problems of the modern technology that is originated from the history of technology.
Student learning outcomes
実務経験と講義内容との関連 (又は実践的教育内容)
The lecturer had worked as an engineer at a company. The lecturer comprehensively offer study between science and technology and society, and the mechanism of technological development using my experience at the company.
Keywords
The Industrial Revolution in Britain, Steam Engine, James Watt, Iron and Steel Industry, Imperialism and Technology, Mass Production
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
After a lecture, students will submit their comment of a lecture to the teacher.
*** Update (August 2021) ***
This course is offered online, but the class starts at 14:20 (normal 5-6 period).
Please be careful not to make a mistake in the start time.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Introduction: What is Science? What is Technology? What is Difference between Science and Technology? Why Do We Study History of Technology? | All students prepare what are differences between science and technology. |
| Class 2 | The British Industrial Revolution 1: The Backgrounds and Triggers of the Industrial Revolution. Technological Innovation in the Cotton Industry. | Read course materials. |
| Class 3 | The British Industrial Revolution 2: The Improvements of the Steam Engine by James Watt | Read course materials. |
| Class 4 | The British Iron and Steel Industry in the 18-19th Century | Read course materials. |
| Class 5 | Imperialism and Technology: Opium War and the Steam ship. Conquest of Malaria and Africa. Machine Guns Changed Styles of Wars. | Read course materials. |
| Class 6 | Mass Production of the USA and the Birth of Mass Consumer Society: Interchangeable Parts, Frederick Winslow Taylor and Henry Ford. | Read David A. Hounshell, From the American system to mass production 1800-1932: the development of manufacturing technology in the United States(Baltimore; London: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1984.) |
| Class 7 | Final Examination and Review of this Course | Study hard for the final exam. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Tomohiro HYODO, Manabu KOBAYASHI, Shingo NAKAMURA and Fuminori YAMAZAKI, A History of Science and Technology(2019).
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Reference Materials
Masaji ARAI, Hoshimi UCHIDA, Kin'ichiro TOBA, The Technology of the Industrial Revolution (Tokyo: Yuhikaku, 1981)
Paul Mantoux, La révolution industrielle au XVIIIe siècle. Essai sur les commencements de la grande industrie moderne en Angleterre (Paris, 1906)
E. J Hobsbawm, Industry and empire: an economic history of Britain since 1750 (London : Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1968)
Kenneth Pomeranz, The Great Divergence: China, Europe, and the Making of the Modern World Economy(Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2000)
Angus Maddison, Contours of the World Economy 1-2030 Ad: Essays in Macro-economic History(Ofxofrd: Oxford University Press, 2007)
Robert C. Allen, The British Industrial Revolution in Global Perspective (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009)
R.C. Allen, Global Economic History: Very Short Introductions No. 282(Ofxofrd: Oxford University Press, 2011)
Morito NAKAZAWA, The Age of Steel (Iwanami Syoten, 1964)
Daniel R. Headrick, The Tools of Empire: Technology and European Imperialism in the Nineteenth Century (New York: Oxford University Press, 1981)
David A. Hounshell, From the American system to mass production 1800-1932: the development of manufacturing technology in the United States (Baltimore; London: Johns Hopkins University Press, c1984.)
Shiro MOMOKI and Hideto NAKAJIMIA, eds. World History That Connects Things (Kyoto: Minerva Publication, 2021)
Furthermore materials will be introduced to students at the class.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Your final grade will be the result of the Mid-term report(30%) and the Final Examination(70%) . 60 points are the minimum level of understanding of the class.
Students must attend the class 5 times and more if you get the credits. Students submit a comment to the teacher for taking attendance.
Related courses
- SHS.S443 ： Graduate Lecture in Science, Technology and Society F1A
- LAH.T203 ： History of Technology B
- LAH.T303 ： History of Technology C
Prerequisites
Welcome all students who have intellectual curiosity, like history and want to know the roots of your major etc.
Applicants to the course must attend the first class.
Other
When I will change the syllabus, I inform the students of it.
This is an online course, but it will be held during the normal 5-6 period (14:20-16:00). Please note that this is not a lunchtime course (12:35-14:15).