In the late forties and the fifties the United States mad great progress in the area of science and technology. This was partly due to the fact that America had more money to spend, they had an increase in the number of university trained scientists, and a growing commitment to the future. One of the key things that factories and industries began to use was automation. This was the technique of operating a production system using mechanical or electronically devices. This new technique could produced goods at a higher rate than at which humans could do it. During the nineteen fifties the use of computers made a significant impact on American industry. Businesses could use computers for many purposes. An example of some of the things businesses used them for were; billing, inventory control, hotel reservations, sorting bank checks, and guiding satellites.

Technology had a major impact on society during that time period, therefore it would be considered important to that time period. One of the ways it effected society was that automation and computers in the work place caused many workers to lose their jobs. This was not necessarily a bad thing though. In the long run computers and automation created more jobs that they eliminated. The new jobs that the people would take over would demand a higher education. This would even motivate people to become educated. In the science aspect of things during that time period, breakthroughs in medicine were one of the most important. One of the greatest discoveries was made by Dr. Jonas Salk. He developed a vaccine for preventing the dreaded childhood disease know as polio. Within a few years, cases of polio nearly disappeared. This was so important to the people of America at that time because before the vaccine was made, many people had died over that disease.

Technology is increasing at a phenomenal rate these days. There are so many different computers made. Compared to the computers back in the fifties and sixties today+s computers are as small as the tip of a needle. That just goes to show how much of an improvement science an technology has made. Computers are not the only part of science and technology that has developed tremendously. For example medicines, photography, telecommunications, automobiles, and robotics have made numerous amounts of advancements. Some scientists say that in the future we will have enough technology in computers that we will be able to talk into them and it will write it out for us. Back in the fifties and sixties we would have even thought of being able to do that. Now today its just beyond our grasp.