Preface ix
• Political and Civic Life
• Religion
• Tools and Weapons
• Transportation
Most objects discussed in this book remain in use; very few were short-
lived in their utility. For most readers there will be some surprises, but
nearly all of the artifacts are recognizable and familiar from readers’ daily
experiences in the 21st century. Many artifacts that dominated the 20th cen-
tury had their roots in the 19th century, especially the 1890s when American
innovation was at a peak, an international system of competitive world’s
fairs (often but not always hosted by major cities in the United States), and
consolidation of corporate power led to the development of products that by
the early 21st century seem to have always been a part of daily life.
The “How to Evaluate Artifacts” section not only guides readers as they
read the essays on individual objects but also arms them for conducting
their own research. One common pitfall of trying to tell the history of a time
period through an object is to forget that the object provides evidence that is
unique in itself. The best writing about things deals directly with the thing
at hand! Thus, this methodological section provides readers with an under-
standing about how they can move their own research beyond just using
objects to illustrate other arguments; the object can be the point of one’s
research.
Each entry describes the artifact in detail, introduces the ways the artifact
operated in its original context, and then explores the significance of the
artifact in the 20th century. Using a method drawn from material culture
studies, each object is discussed as an example of a type of artifact, meaning
that in many essays the grouping of artifacts (for example, the Enovid oral
contraceptive pill) will discuss birth control and contraceptives, sex educa-
tion, and the 20th-century debates over abortion and women’s rights. The
specific object provides information unique to the material qualities of the
artifact, but the meanings and significance will draw from historical frame-
works. This book is as much a history of daily life in the United States as it
is an examination of the material culture of everyday experience.
