Throughout this year we have been learning about the many different scientist from Europe who greatly influenced the United States. The work of these scientists helped shape the United States culture and bring us to the place we are today. Some of these scientists were alive before the United States even existed, some lived in Europe their entire lives and other immigrated to America to pursue their scientific field and study. However, all of these great men and women helped improve medicine, promoted free thought in the sciences, and helped defeat the Japanese Empire in WWII.
One very important advancement in the history of America that came from a foreign scientist in the 1700’s, was the cure for the deadliest epidemic of that day. Edward Jenner was a scientist in England during 1749. The epidemic that Jenner faced down was small pox; “At the time smallpox was one of the deadliest diseases known to mankind, killing 35% of its victims. The effects of smallpox where felt in America long before the Unites states was formed, the disease was the killer of up to 90% of the Native American population” (“3 Scientists And Their Impact On US Culture”
1). By 1749 there were several partially effective cures, but the disease still remained a deadly killer. Jenner was able to observe how English milkmaids did not contract smallpox. Using this knowledge, Jenner created a vaccination to smallpox. Jenner was one of many scientists that we discussed who had a profound effect on American medicine and culture, his work led to smallpox eventually being eradicated. A disease that had once claimed the lives of many Americans throughout the years had ceased to be a concern. However, the American medical field was not the only one to be effected by foreign scientists.
Another way that foreign scientist changed American culture was in the freedom of thought that we have in the American scientific communities. Three scientists who were responsible for this freedom were Galileo, Newton and Darwin. These three men are the foundation of modern science and we owe the success of the American system to their work. The scientist who has become the classic example of censoring of science and a role model for those to follow was Galileo. Through the use of the newly invented telescope, Galileo observed that the Earth travelled around the Sun. As a result, “Galileo had to take on the Catholic Church when his views on the heliocentric system became clear. When Galileo was asked to change his writings so that his ideas were not shown to be any better then those of Aristotle, he continued to support his findings” (“Galileo, Newton and Darwin” 2). Galileo was put under house arrest and kept from creating any new writings. Eventually Galileo’s work would gain more traction and the Church would lose its monopoly on scientific beliefs. This step in the right direction would eventually lead to the system we have in America today, “Science has become a self-regulating entity, open to new ideas and criticism; this has led to a diversification in where the accepted ideas come from. Rather than rely on one man or source as authoritative over all of science, we now appreciate the work of hundreds of individuals whose work has shaped the various fields of study” (“Galileo, Newton and Darwin” 2). This system that was accepting of new ideas would eventually bring another group of noteworthy scientists.
One collection of foreign scientists who dramatically affected United States culture was the German scientists who fled oppression under the Nazi’s.
These men left their homeland in search of a country where they could apply their skills without fear of persecution. Scientist such as Dr. Einstein and Dr. Teller brought their work from Germany over to the United States. It was the knowledge held by these German scientists that would lead to the formation of the United States rocket program after WWII. However, there was another greater invention that these Germans brought with them, and that was the knowledge of an atomic bomb. Through the work of both German and American scientists, the United States was brought into the Atomic age. The Americans were able to build two atomic bombs and use them against the Japanese at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Although the bombs were a controversial invention, and one that we are still dealing with today, Teller would latter say “Progress cannot be stopped, and we are told to stop progress. I am very much afraid that
Progress will occur, and that it will occur in a country that is less committed to peace as we are” (“American Perspectives On The Manhattan Project” 2). Through the work of the German scientists millions of American lives were saved. Another development from the Atomic bomb projects was the ability to harness nuclear fission in nuclear power plants. This new source for energy production has become a staple of the American power grid, and it can be attributed to the German scientists. The effect of there foreign scientists on the United States cannot be overestimated.
There have been many different foreign scientists and inventors that have helped shape the United States culture. Whether they changed the way we look at medicine, or invented a new means to produce power, America has benefited from their work. In some ways the work of these scientists has helped Americans twice. For example it is because of the equality that Galileo helped bring to the scientific community that other scientist are willing to come to the United States. Or when the work of the scientist on the atomic bomb brought the nuclear power plant into the world. So while there have certainly been many phenomenal American scientists, the people of the United States owe much to the work of foreign scientists.