Author Description
Introduction: Fitting One's Self For The New World -- Part 1. Novice (1806-1831) -- In Napoleon's Shadow (1806-1824) -- Berlin And The Culture Of Revolution (1824-1825) -- Building Roads, Designing Bridges (1825-1829) -- Johann Etzler And The Mühlhausen Emigration Society (1829-1831) -- Across The Atlantic (1831) -- Part 2. Apprentice (1831-1847) -- And Out To Western Pennsylvania (1831-1832) -- Establishing Saxonburg (1832-1837) -- Internal Improvements (1838-1841) -- Making Wire Rope And The Wire Rope Industry (1840-1848) -- Private Life, Public Works (1844-1845) -- Rebuilding Pittsburgh (1845-1846) -- Setting The Future (1846-1847) -- Part 3. Master (1848-69) -- Economies Of Scale (1848-1852) -- Crossing Niagara (1846-48) -- Securing Niagara (1852-55) -- The Kentucky, Ohio, And Allegheny (1856-1860) -- And The War Came (1861-1865) -- Unfinished Business (1863-1869) -- Epilogue: I Am My Own Judge. Richard Haw. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Electronic Reproduction. Oxford Available Via World Wide Web.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This biography investigates how John A. Roebling transformed the American landscape through his pioneering work in wire rope manufacturing and suspension bridge engineering. Richard Haw, an associate professor of English, utilizes extensive archival research and primary source documentation to trace Roebling's transition from a Prussian immigrant to a central figure in American industrial development. The book argues that Roebling's technical innovations were deeply intertwined with his philosophical outlook and the socio-political shifts of the nineteenth century.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Detailed account of Roebling's early life in Prussia and his emigration to the United States.
- Technical history of the development of wire rope and its application in infrastructure.
- Analysis of major engineering projects including the Niagara Falls suspension bridge.
- Contextualization of Roebling's work within the American Civil War era.
Scope Limits
- The text focuses primarily on Roebling's professional life and engineering contributions rather than exhaustive personal or family psychological analysis.
- It does not provide a comprehensive history of all 19th-century bridge building, limiting its scope to Roebling's specific projects and influence.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Historians and engineering scholars frequently praise this work for its meticulous use of primary sources and its ability to contextualize technical achievements within the broader American industrial narrative. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which provides a thorough examination of both the man and the era.
Page Count:
0
Publication Date:
1900-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press,
ISBN-10:
0190663928
ISBN-13:
9780190092870
Biography
History
Industrial history
Railroad bridges
Engineering
Technology
19th Century
German Americans
Immigrants
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