White begins his case with an examination into the stirrup. He shows how the introduction of such technology gave rise to effective long-range cavalry, which transformed small conflicts into large scale shock combat, as with the Norman Conquest of England (White, 1962: 36-37). Prior to the stirrup, the fighter was vulnerable on his horse; as he was not fastened tightly nor had any means of fighting or defending himself. But with the introduction of the stirrup the knight was no longer restricted in his methods of fighting nor vulnerable to attacks while undefended (as he could now control the horse with one hand)(White

White’s book also succeeds in accomplishing several strides. He creates an extensive and informative look at the social, political, and economical development throughout the Middle Ages. He allows for the in depth exploration of the tumultuous stages of technologies’ rise and fall in Medieval times. He is also able to disprove the flawed theories of past historians and Medieval theorists as to how the formation of this vast and historically rich period came to be. And in addition, he adds his own new twist to a rather outdated topic and thus allows for more understanding and insight into the formation of an entire European society and culture.

, 1962: 2). Soon, cavalry became an intrinsic part of medieval warfare, and knighthood was perceived as a position synonymous to royalty itself. This inevitably gave rise to a class of aristocratic military warriors who had adopted their own set of codes of behavior, a dedication to chivalry, and a deep-rooted belief in ‘noble obligation’ (White, 1962: 38). Therefore what came to be was not only a political system and class, but also a revolution in societal structure and culture. Thus White demonstrates that the stirrup, though its immediate effect and novelty might have seemed rather simple, was critical to the formation of an entire feudal society in Medieval Europe.

The slow deterioration of the feudalist society is White’s next examination. With the induction of new machines and tools, Europe became increasingly interested in harnessing new powers of energy (White, 1962: 79). This caused the introduction of factories which in turn diminished the domination of agricultural industries (White, 1962: 128). By the latter 15th century Europe was outfitted with sources of power stronger and m

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