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The Science of the Founding Fathers

The Founding Fathers’ degrees of faith differed widely one from another, from closet agnosticism to nominal observance to quizzical deism.  What the Founding Fathers shared more universally and importantly was a deep belief in science and the scientific method.   Science was central to the Founding Fathers’ worldview and dreams for the new country.

This aspect of American history is mostly unknown.   While most Americans have heard of about Benjamin Franklin’s electricity experiments, they have no idea who and what made the experiments possible, or why they were considered as breakthroughs; nor do most Americans know much about Franklin’s founding of the chief scientific society of the colonies (or about his co-founder, botanist John Bartram).   Most Americans realize that the young George Washington was a surveyor, but do not know of his intense interest in a technological project to alter the Potomac River by building locks and canals, and by sponsoring steam vessels, or that during the Revolutionary War he agreed (over the objections of his surgeon general) to use an experimental technique to prevent his troops from being decimated by smallpox, and by so doing helped to ensure the survival of the republic.   Nor do they have any sense of student John Adams’ excitement in the study of astronomy, or that Thomas Jefferson’s only book-length published work was a “natural history” or that Jefferson aspired to be a scientist.  Even less well-known are Thomas Paine’s invention, design, and construction of a remarkable piece of early technology, an iron span bridge, or that James Madison’s lack of scientific education hampered his presidency, or how Alexander Hamilton’s 1791 Report on Manufactures paved the way for the game-changing technologies of Eli Whitney and Robert Fulton.

A writer in residence in the Library’s Wertheim Study, Tom Shachtman has written nearly two dozen histories, social commentaries, and children’s books, have collaborated on a dozen more, and have also written and occasionally produced and directed documentaries for television.  His most recent book (November 2011), is American Iconoclast: The Life and Times of Eric Hoffer, the “longshoreman philosopher.”











When: Thu., Oct. 25, 2012 at 1:15 pm
Where: New York Public Library—Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
476 Fifth Ave.
917-275-6975
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The Founding Fathers’ degrees of faith differed widely one from another, from closet agnosticism to nominal observance to quizzical deism.  What the Founding Fathers shared more universally and importantly was a deep belief in science and the scientific method.   Science was central to the Founding Fathers’ worldview and dreams for the new country.

This aspect of American history is mostly unknown.   While most Americans have heard of about Benjamin Franklin’s electricity experiments, they have no idea who and what made the experiments possible, or why they were considered as breakthroughs; nor do most Americans know much about Franklin’s founding of the chief scientific society of the colonies (or about his co-founder, botanist John Bartram).   Most Americans realize that the young George Washington was a surveyor, but do not know of his intense interest in a technological project to alter the Potomac River by building locks and canals, and by sponsoring steam vessels, or that during the Revolutionary War he agreed (over the objections of his surgeon general) to use an experimental technique to prevent his troops from being decimated by smallpox, and by so doing helped to ensure the survival of the republic.   Nor do they have any sense of student John Adams’ excitement in the study of astronomy, or that Thomas Jefferson’s only book-length published work was a “natural history” or that Jefferson aspired to be a scientist.  Even less well-known are Thomas Paine’s invention, design, and construction of a remarkable piece of early technology, an iron span bridge, or that James Madison’s lack of scientific education hampered his presidency, or how Alexander Hamilton’s 1791 Report on Manufactures paved the way for the game-changing technologies of Eli Whitney and Robert Fulton.

A writer in residence in the Library’s Wertheim Study, Tom Shachtman has written nearly two dozen histories, social commentaries, and children’s books, have collaborated on a dozen more, and have also written and occasionally produced and directed documentaries for television.  His most recent book (November 2011), is American Iconoclast: The Life and Times of Eric Hoffer, the “longshoreman philosopher.”

Buy tickets/get more info now