-
Thomas Newcomen invents the first steam engine. At the time it is not useful, but a huge part of the industrial revolution
-
James Hargreaves invents the spinning jenny which aloud weavers to double their productivity. This meant that one person could do the work of 8 people.
-
John Fitch made the first successful trial of a steamboat on the Delaware River. Pistons forced air through the water, propelling the boat without flooding the engine.
-
Eli Whitney creates a machine that makes it much easier to separate cotton seeds from cotton fiber. It reduced the time it takes to clean cotton and helped the southern states make more money off of cotton crops.
-
Alessandro Volta invented the first battery which he called the Voltaic Pile. It was the first practical method of generating electricity.
-
William Sturgeon invented the electromagnet.
-
American, Cyrus McCormick invents the first commercially successful reaper. This Reduces the amount of work needed to harvest crops. Also Production increases.
-
Henry Blair patents a corn planter. He is the second black person to receive a U.S. patent. This makes it easier to plant one of the main staple crops of the North and Midwest.
-
Samuel Colt invented the first revolver which makes life on the frontier less dangerous. This invention is widely used in the Civil War.
-
Samuel Morse invents Morse Code. This system of tones is used to turn the telegraph into an effective mode of communication.
-
People were worried about elevator cars falling, so Elisha Otis invented an elevator safety break to prevent the car from falling if a cable breaks.
-
Richard Gatling patents his machine gun. This revolutionizes war.
-
Nicolaus August Otto invents the first practical four-stroke internal combustion engine. August Otto invents the first practical four-stroke internal combustion engine.
-
Thomas Edison invents the cylinder phonograph or tin foil phonograph. This makes home life more enjoyable to those who can afford it.
-
Thomas Edison created a light bulb that lasted long than other designs and showed it off by lighting a lamp.This allowed more work to occur at night.
-
The Brooklyn bridge is finished in New York City after 13 years of construction. At the time, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world.
-
Henry Bessemer invents a method for producing steal out of iron This method was effective and cheap. It also helped with the growth of cities.
-
F.E. Muller and Adolph Fick invent the first wearable contact lenses. These are the beginning to the vast contact industry of today. They were not very practical at the time though.
-
Orville and Wilbur Wright event the first plane not powered by wind using an engine they invented. Orville flew the plane for 12 seconds over a beach in North Carolina
-
Henry Ford creates the Model T, A type of car. It was made on an assembly line making it cheaper to produce. This allowed more people to buy cars.
