Oxford University Press first published Medieval Technology and Social Change in 1962. It discusses the technological advances during the medieval times and how these changes affected society. The book's author, Lynn White, Jr., was born in San Francisco in 1907. Educated at Stanford, Union Theological, and Princeton, White taught at Princeton and the University of California at Los Angeles. He was also president of Mills College in Oakland from the 1940s to the 1960s. His other works include Medieval Religion and Technology: Collected Essays, published in 1978 and Life & Work in Medieval Europe, the Evolution of Medieval Economy from the Fifth to the Fifteenth Century, published in 1982. White's work has been influential both in medieval history and the history of science.

In Medieval Technology and Social Change, White examines the role of technological innovation during the rise of social groups in the Middle Ages. White begins with the invention of the stirrup. He shows how this innovation, in turn, introduced heavy, long-range cavalry to the medieval battlefield. The development thus escalated small-scale conflict to "shock combat." Cannons and flame-throwers followed, as did m

Like most works of literature, Medieval Technology and Social Change has both strengths and weaknesses. White is very clear on his theories and uses several examples to support them. His theme of the effect technology is laid out through his discussion of the stirrup, the plow, and factories. He pays close attention to aspects of medieval life that many other scholars had previously disregarded. However, basing his theories strongly on a constructed timeline of dates weakens White's argument. Many of the dates can be put into question, shaking the stability of White's ideas. Medieval Technology and Social Change also discourages the common man from enjoying the wonderful work of White by choosing not to translate numerous quotations.

Rather than Brunner's theory that Charles Martel developed a large cavalry force as a shield against the Muslims, White suggests that the real cause is the invention of the stirrup. The introduction of the stirrup to the existing cavalry technology resulted in a great increase in effectiveness and a revolution in military strategy. White dismisses the Saracen threat by pointing out that Brunner mistakenly thought the battle of Poitiers took place in 732. It is now know that the actual date of this battle is 733. White also points out that the seizure of Church lands began in 732 (before Poitiers) and that Martel did not turn his attention to the Saracens until after gaining sufficient lands. White strengthens his argument on the subject by pointing out Brunner's error. However, he brings into question all other dates used to support his own theories, as they may be in error much as the date of the battle of Poitiers was.2 By using the accepted ideas of others, White subjects his theories to the errors made in the

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Approximate Word count = 1185
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)