TWO CENTURIES IN RETROSPECT

This special review of the history of two centuries of electrical engineering in the United States includes 23 papers. Four papers review the first century, discussing the contributions of Benjamin Franklin and Joseph Henry, Charles G. Page's patent of the induction coil, and the technical adjustments carried out at the terminal stations of the Atlantic cable in the 1870's. The papers on the second century (roughly 1870-date) consider the developments in telecommunication and electronics, electric power generation, electric lighting and electric railroads, and the social, professional & educational aspects of electrical engineering development. Included in this group are the contributions to telephony and telegraphy of Bell and Gray, the development of the electronics industry on the Pacific coast, the contributions of the two National Television System Committees (NTSCs) in promoting high-quality monochrome and color television, the development of the Niagara Falls and TVA hydroelectric complexes, the choice between ac and dc, railroad electrification, the conflict between the concept of a national power grid and the individual utilities, the evolution of the electrical engineering societies, the AIEE and the IRE, a brief history of electrical engineering education, early impacts of communications on military doctrine, creative engineering in a corporate setting as exemplified by C. P. Steinmetz and E. F. W. Alexanderson, and a consideration of the need for enhanced systems engineering to select priorities and goals to meet the challenges of the future.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Proceedings IEEE, Special Issue on Two Centuries in Retrospect.
• Corporate Authors:

  Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

  3 Park Avenue, 17th Floor
  New York, NY  United States  10016-5997
• Authors:
  • Ryder, J D
  • Brittain, J E
• Conference:
  • Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engrs Proc
• Publication Date: 1976-9

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 1267
• Serial:
  • Volume: 64
  • Issue Number: 9

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Electric power; Electric railroads; Electrical engineering; Electronics industry; History; Public utilities; Railroad electrification; Socioeconomic factors; Technology; Telecommunications
• Uncontrolled Terms: Electric power systems; Utilities
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Old TRIS Terms: Economic and sociological effects
• Subject Areas: Economics; History; Railroads; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00169990
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Engineering Index
• Report/Paper Numbers: Proceeding
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 30 1978 12:00AM