Making the Modern World

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Tour 3: Conflict in the modern world

1998

Conflict has played an important role in making the modern world. Technology has revolutionised the way in which wars are fought, and war has been the crucible for new and increasingly devastating technologies. Here we will look at conflict and consider how it has forged our relationship with technology.


1 Richard Arkwright 1760s Richard Arkwright's controversial cotton spinning innovations brought him into conflict with licensing laws.	2 A rising empire 1783-1870 From the seventeenth century onwards Britain's expanding imperial trade network provided a ready market for new technologies.	3 Steam power 1775-1800 James Watt proved the viability of the steam engine to the world. But he faced a stiff courtroom battle to assert his invention's' primacy.

4 Engineering rivalry c.1800 James Watt and Matthew Boulton resorted to dirty tricks in their competition with rival engineer Matthew Murray.	5 Vickers machine gun 1914-18 The machine gun epitomised the industrialised slaughter of the First World War - engineered machine efficiency against vulnerable flesh and bone.	6 Codebreaking 1939-45 Allied interception of encoded Nazi communications proved to be a war-winning breakthrough.

7 Quality or quantity? 1939-1945 The rapid replacement of equipment lost during battle versus the need to slow down production to incorporate the latest technical developments was a difficult balance for both Allied and Axis forces.	8 The V2 rocket 1930-45 The V2 rocket was developed by Nazi Germany as a hoped-for decisive weapon to gain victory over the Allies.	9 A pre-emptive strike 1943 An attempt to delay the deployment of the V2 rocket developed by Nazi Germany.

10 The atomic age 1945-89 Nuclear weapons fuelled confrontation between rival superpowers, and became the subject of widespread international protest.	11 Discovering DNA 1952 Controversy continues to this day over who first understood the structure of DNA.	12 Co-operative protest 1971-98 Protest groups have helped individuals influence industries and governments during many environmental controversies.

V2 rocket, 1945	Randall and Boot's magnetron, 1940	Fused sand from atomic bomb test, 1945
Bowl from Hiroshima, c.1945	Baby's gas mask, 1939	Cat-o'-nine-tails, 1700-1850
Flat-hinged and bolted double stocks, European, c.1650	Metropolitan Police equipment belt, 1990s	Ministry of Food ration book, 1952-53
Pair of iron handcuffs, 1830-90	pocketknife with 11 blades, c.1998	Portable anaesthetic kit, 1914-18
Spring steel slave whip, c.1820	Steel thumbscrew, French, c.1750	James Watt
Matthew Boulton	Richard Arkwright	Francis Crick


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