Nathaniel Bowditch and the Power of Numbers: How a Nineteenth-Century Man of Business, Science, and the Sea Changed American Life

Tamara Plakins Thornton's biography explores Nathaniel Bowditch's life and work, highlighting his contributions to capitalism, American science, and social elites in the early republic. It sheds light on his pathbreaking approaches to institutions and the controversies they provoked, providing a broader understanding of how powerful capitalists operated during this era.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 416 pages
\n Publication date: 28 February 2021
\n Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press
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In this captivating biography, Tamara Plakins Thornton delves into the life and remarkable work of Nathaniel Bowditch (1773-1838), a man once hailed by Thomas Jefferson as a "meteor in the hemisphere." Bowditch was a multifaceted individual, excelling as a mathematician, astronomer, navigator, seafarer, and business executive. His Enlightenment-inspired perspectives profoundly shaped nineteenth-century capitalism and had a lasting impact on American society.

Driven by a fascination with the precision and certainty of numbers and the unyielding regularity of the physical universe, Bowditch played a pivotal role in operating and representing some of New England's most influential institutions, including financial corporations and Harvard College. He viewed these institutions as intricate clockwork mechanisms, meticulously managing their operations to ensure efficiency and stability.

Thornton's biography sheds new light on the rise of capitalism, American science, and social elites during the early republic. By examining Bowditch's pioneering approaches to institutions, as well as the political and social controversies they provoked, the book provides a comprehensive understanding of how powerful capitalists operated during this era and how the emerging quantitative sciences shaped the modern experience.

Fleshing out the diverse careers of Nathaniel Bowditch, this book serves as a lively biography, offering a window into the birth of bureaucracy. It also portrays the patrician life of the time, providing a broader and more nuanced perspective on how powerful capitalists operated and how their influence shaped the early republic. Through its rich narrative and insightful analysis, "Nathaniel Bowditch: The Man Who Charted the American Coast" offers a valuable contribution to our understanding of the historical and cultural landscape of the United States.

\n Weight: 666g\n
Dimension: 156 x 235 x 28 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781469663937\n \n