Professor Thomas Legg, West Chester University, will speak about the changes in the 1800s maritime world as it transition from wood to iron ships.  The presentation illustrates both the technological change and its impact on society.  Professor Legg will discuss how maritime communities confronted technological revolutions such as the shift from wind to steam power, and the change in shipbuilding materials.  Attendees will learn how those technological changes impacted the work and life of Americans.

Thomas Legg is an Associate Professor of History at West Chester University.  He received a Ph.D. in American history from the College of William and Mary in 1994.  His research primarily focuses on technology in the U.S. Navy and the nineteenth-century maritime world.