Reflections in Bullough's Pond
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| Reflections in Bullough's Pond; Economy and Ecosystem in New England | |
| Author | Diana Muir |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Subject(s) | Environmentalism, History, New England |
| Publisher | University Press of New England |
| Publication date | 2000 |
Reflections in Bullough's Pond: Economy and Ecosystem in New England is a book by Diana Muir. The Providence Journal called Bullough’s Pond "a masterpiece,"[1] and Publisher’s Weekly called it "lyrical".[2] The Massachusetts Center for the Book awarded the 2001 Massachusetts Book Award to Bullough’s Pond for author’s "engaging and accomplished storytelling."[3]
Bullough's Pond not only tells the story of how the industrial revolution in New England happened, it tells why an industrial revolution happened here. In a talk at Connecticut College, Muir said that the New England had the world's second industrial revolution, and the only one that that was crucial to industrial development in England itself. This was because the perfection of interchangeable parts manufacturing and the precision tool industry that developed in New England were necessary to making the steam engine a commercial success. Before these events enabled Mr. Corliss to improve his steam engine, steam power was so inefficient that it was only used in certain limited applications.
On another level, Muir explains that industrialization happened in New England for a number of reasons, including New England's universal public education, Puritan attitudes that made working with one's hands socially acceptable, and, especially, population growth that made it impossible for all of the youth to become farmers in the 1790 to 1820 period.
In addition to presenting a sweeping history of New England, Bullough's Pond makes an important argument about the origins of the industrial revolution in America.[citation needed]
Also, there are very interesting histories of the various branches of maritime trade in which New Englanders engaged, including seal hunting out of Stonington Connecticut.
