Includes chronology, bibliographic notes, end notes, and index.
Summary:
This study traces the development of scientific policies and activities of the United States government from 1787 to 1940. Early developments include the passage of the first patent law and the first census, both in 1789, the establishment of the Army Corps of Engineers in 1802, and the government-sponsored Lewis and Clark expedition in 1803. The early years of the Smithsonian Institution are discussed as well as research in the fields of agriculture, geology, conservation, and medicine.
