September 9, 2014 Mckenzie Reiss
The Contributions of Thomas Edison
September 9, 2014
Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor, who lived from 1847 to 1931. During his lifetime, he made many contributions that have helped society advance to what it is today. He held over one thousand ninety three patents in the US, including additions to the telegraph and the incandescent light bulb. Although this man came from humble beginnings, he achieved greater and more ambitious things than most of us will ever achieve in a lifetime.
Thomas was born February 11, 1847, to a school teacher and an exiled political activist. He was the youngest of seven children and was a curious child. An early bout of scarlet fever left him with ear problems, later causing him to go deaf, but that didn't stop this man's ambition. In fact, at the early age of twelve, Edison's first endeavour was creating a small newspaper, called the "Grand Truck Herald."
(Scott Cooperstein, "Thomas Edison Biography") His next idea was to set up a small laboratory, which he set up in a train baggage car, where he could execute small chemical experiments. During his time in the train yard, he saved a three year old from being run over by a train. The thankful father then taught Thomas how to operate a telegraph in return. This allowed Thomas to acquire a job as a telegraph operator. This job then led him to Boston, to work for the Western Union Company. This opportunity allowed him to really spend a lot of time designing and patenting many things, including the electric voting recorder. Which was one of his first major inventions.
With over one thousand ninety three patents to his name, Thomas Edison was the world's...