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What do you think was the most important
Discuss with your partner your choice, and then
explain to them WHY you think it is so
Inventors and Inventions!
How did inventors change America?
Tens of thousands of inventions were being
created during the 1890’s.
The inventions led to the creation of new
businesses and industries.
The United States was nicknamed the “invention
capital of the world.”
Thomas Edison Facts pg. 168-169
Teachers thought he was “slow.”
Thomas went to school for only a few months.
Thomas taught himself by
reading constantly (all the time),
and doing experiments in his basement.
He built a telegraph set when he was 11years old.
He never attended college.
In 1876 Thomas set up a laboratory in
Menlo Park, New Jersey
He had the nickname “The Wizard of Menlo Park.”
Edison had a record 1,093 patents!
Many of these inventions were improvements to old inventions.
His staff were called “muckers.”
He and his muckers created a light bulb that could last for
13 hours. They DID NOT invent the light bulb,
but they did made it better.
He made first power station for people who
The phonograph was
his favorite invention.
- phono means sound
- graph means to record
- a phonograph records
Thomas Edison also helped invent…
- the kinetograph
- the kinetoscope
- cement mixer
Important Thomas Edison Facts
• his lab was in Menlo Park, New
Jersey-staff was called “Muckers”
• favorite invention: the phonograph
• built a power station in New York
City to provide electricity to homes
• Edison DID NOT invent the light
bulb; he DID improve it and make it
• His improved light bulb changed the
way factories operated in the late 19th
Alexander Graham Bell pg. 167
Bell was a teacher of the deaf
(people who can’t hear)
He wanted to make something
that could send the human
voice through a wire.
In 1876, Bell transmitted (sent) the
first message using his invention.
By 1900, over 1,500,000
telephones were in use.
Mr. Bell helped start the
General Electric company
(”GE, we bring good things to light”)
Mr. BELL also helped start
the Bell Telephone
Company (Does BellSouth sound
Important Alexander Graham Bell Facts
• Bell invented the telephone
• he turned his invention into a corporation – Bell Telephone Company (later
• like Edison, Bell had a laboratory where he and his workers created new things
The Wright Brothers pg.172
Orville and Wilbur Wright
were brothers who had a dream
1900 – the brothers began
working with gliders.
1902 – they flew a glider 600
1903 – they added an engine to
On December 17, 1903, Orville Wright
became the first person to fly an airplane.
He flew only 100 feet!
Why did Orville
and Wilbur choose
Kitty Hawk, NC as
their flight test
The Wright Brothers
Experimented with “flight”
for many years
1903 – In Kitty Hawk, NC
the brothers’ motorized
plane flew for 12 seconds
They started the aircraft
industry with their
experiments in manned flight
How Can One Invention Change Society?
New Businesses or
Choose one invention
Work with your group to
complete the graphic organizer