Lecture Notes: Aviation and Technological Changes in the 20th Century

Introduction to Aviation

• Aviation as the third great development change in the 20th century
• Internal combustion engine: The basis for developing airplane engines
• Important milestone: The Wright brothers' first flight in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina
  • Conditions: Flat and windy
  • Replica info provided
• Recommended reading: "The American Experience" by David McCullough

Consequences of Aviation

• Impact on warfare: World War I and II
  • Example: Carpet bombing during WWII
• Development in the 1920s: Maps for air mail delivery
  • Use of cement arrows and gas-lit shacks for navigation
• Shrinking of the globe similar to the railroad
• Greater government regulation and the need for organizations like the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
• Impact of 9/11: Increased regulations, Department of Homeland Security

Domestic Technologies

• Introduction as the fourth key development
• Concept: Domestic Revolution
• Notable inventions and their impacts:
  • Vacuum cleaners: Transition from hardwood to carpet flooring
  • Washing machines: From handwashing to machine washing
  • Dishwashers: Ease of dishwashing
  • Electric/gas ovens and microwaves: Revolution in cooking methods
  • Refrigerators and freezers: Essential kitchen appliances
  • Toasters, vacuums, CD/MP3 players: Convenience in daily life
• Advanced forms of entertainment: TV, radio, etc.
• Reflection on changing standards of cleanliness and domestic work

Entertainment Technologies

• Radio
  • Invented by Henrik Hertz; improved by Marconi (wireless telegraphy)
  • First radio station: KDKA Pittsburgh, 1920
  • BBC model: Paid service; U.S. model (NBC, 1926): Free with commercials
  • Popularity and usage: 3 out of 4 Americans had radios by the 1930s
  • Propaganda tool during the 1930s and WWII
  • Radio's role in political communication: FDR, Hitler, Mussolini
  • Ownership surged by the 1950s
• Cinema
  • Development from silent films to more complex movies