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Octant
Invented by Thomas Godfrey, this was a measuring instrument used for navigation. This instrument reflects the light with mirrors to show a path. -
The Lightning Rod
Benjamin Franklin created the lightning rod, which conducts lightning bolts onto the ground. -
Cotton Gin
Invented by Eli Whitney. Used to comb and deseed cotton much quicker. Led to cotton as the main cash crop of the South. -
Wheel Cypher
This was created by Thomas Jefferson. This device was used for encrypting messages and codebreaking. -
Interchangeable Parts
Created by Eli Whitney. Made the process of making muskets for the US Army quicker by dividing processing steps and standardizing machine parts so that they are interchangeable. -
Steamboat
The new steamboat allows for two way travel between NY and Albany by travelling upstream. -
Milling Machine
This was created by Simeom North. This machine was used for shaping metals and other materials. -
Erie Canal
For a faster and shorter travel, engineers dug a 363 mile canal to connect the Hudson River with Lake Erie. -
McCormick Reaper
Cut grain faster than a man, but it didn't sell well until the 1860s or 70s. -
Sewing Machine
Created by Isaac Singer, allowed for easier household activities for women. -
Morse Code
This new way of communication was invented but Alfred Vail and Samual Morse. This was a huge breakthrough during this time because it was the first time people could directly communicate without writing letters or physically talking ot them. -
Gas Mask
Created by Lewis Phectic Haslett, protected people and soldiers from inhaling harmful gases and fumes. -
Telegraph
The telegraph allowed for faster communication between long distances using the system of Morse Code to send a message. -
Bessemer Process
This process, created by Henry Bessemer, was the first process to ever make a mass production of steel. Becase of this, prices lowered on steel and steel was therefore used nationwide. -
Modernzed Sewing Machines
The modernized sewing machine created thousands of new factory jobs, increased the amount of clothing available, and made it easier for women to sew at home. It began mass-production and by 1877, over half a million sewing machines were of use in the U.S. -
Typewriter
Christopher Sholes invented the first typewriter. It was a faster and easier alternative to writing a letter or book. Instead of writing, people could conveniently type anything they wanted. Also, the secretarial positions that women were working were changed by using these typewriters. -
Transcontinental Railroad
There were two railroad companies that created the transcontinental railroad: the Union Pacific, which built it from East to West, and the Central Pacific, building it from West to East. They met in Utah with the last gold spike nailed to it. The RR was more convenient because more items could be traveled farther and faster, connecting the West and East together. -
Refrigerated Railcars
Refrigeration for meatpacking was first introduced in Chicago. This allowed for meat to be shipped to certain places without getting spoiled. This was especially good because meat was in high demand in the East, and the refrigerated railroad cars allowed for transportation of meat from West to East. -
Telephone
The telephone was invented by Alexander Grahm Bell. This helped communication in America drastically because the other sources of communication (letter or telegraph) were slower. With the telephone, you could talk to a person far away, and it's a quicker alternative to the older sources of communication. -
Light Bulb
Thomas Edison invented the light bulb. This was very convenient because it allowed for people to stay up later doing work. When the sun went down, people could still do work. Also, the light bulb was more convienent than a kerosene lamp. -
Electric Clothes Iron
Henry Seeley invented the Electric Cloths Iron. It replaced the charcoal filled irons that were used in the past. The electric cloths iron was much more convenient. -
The Oxford English Dictionary
The original Oxford Dictionary was a twelve volume dictionary. James Murray was the primary editor. -
Dishwasher
Josephine Cochrane, a housewife from Shelbyville, Illinois, invented and built the First Dishwasher. She made life for women much easier at this time period. -
Radio
Two inventors, Nikola Tesla and Guglielmo Marconi, were said to have taken part in the invention of the radio. Anyone in the country could now listen to national events. -
Movie Theater
Vitascope Hall in New Orleans was the first "storefront theater" in the US dedicated exclusively to showing motion pictures. This became a place for the average American to go during their free time. -
Airplane
The first successful airplane was invented after Wilbur and Orville Wright made four brief flights ot Kitty Hawk. -
Model T
The Model T was the first car that was accessible to the public because of its low price and was widely used until 1927. Now that more average Americans could buy and use an automobile, the use of the horse and carriage diminished. -
Scientific Management
Frederick Taylor invented the concept of efficiency engineering with his novel "The Principles of Scientific Engineering". Workers were assigned to one simple task, and the purpose was to get the most out of the worker and his machine in the least amount of time. -
More Efficient Assembly Line
As the demand for Model T's became higher, Ford installed the first efficient assembly line. He based his assembly line off the first one invented from the meatpacking industry in 1867. This allowed for faster and more efficient building of factory items. More companies would start using the assmebly line and many who didn't mostly went out of business. -
Trench Warfare
This was a tactic used by both the Allied Powers and Central Powers. Soldiers were in trenches while they shot each other, and there was a "no man's land" in between. Many deaths, but very little progress using trench warfare. -
Windshield Wipers
Ford company produces the first car with windshield wipers installed. This helped driving in the rain much safer and easier. -
Lie Detector
John Larson created the first lie detector test that is still used today. Lason was able to find a way so that when a person lies a certain amount of stress is produced showing that the person is indeed lying. -
Television
Philo Farnsworth broadcasts the image of a dollar sign to demonstrate the television to potential investors. -
Frozen Food
Clarence Birdseye creates frozen food. Keeps food from spoiling and allows Americans to eat foods that were not grown during that season. -
FM Broadcasting
FM Broadcasting was invented by Edwin H. Armstrong. It gave people more stations to choose from. Also FM broadcasting was must more clear than AM. -
Color Film
Two hit movies during this year, Gone With the Wind and The Wizard of Oz, introduced color to the movie going public. -
Mark 1 Computer
The first computer ever invented, the Mark 1 used 765,000 components and hundreds of miles of wire. 51 feet in length, and about 10,000 pounds, this computer set the stage for future technological and computer advancements. -
Atomic Bomb
The atomic bomb was created in the Manhattan Project and used in WWII against Japan. (Little Boy and Fat Man were the two first atomic bombs). -
Microwave
Percy Spencer invented the first microwave oven after World War II. He used radar technology that was developed during the war. It made it a lot easier to warm up food. -
Tupperware
Tupperware was very useful because it allowed food to stay fresh longer. Less food went to waste with the invention of the tupperware. -
Polaroid Camera
The polaroid camera was the first instant camera that would develop a picture immediately after taking it. -
Tetracycline (Antibiotic)
One of the many new pharmecutical items invented during this time period. Tetracycline is a type of antibiotic that fights bacterial conditions such as pneumonia, lyme disease, bronchitis, eye infections, etc. -
Computer Mouse
Invented by Douglas Engelbart, this device made it much easier to navigate on the computer. -
Minicomputer
World's first computer to use integrated circuit technology. The size of the computer was smaller than past computers and had a lower price at $18,000, selling several hundred. -
Compact Disk
Invented by James Russell this creation made it possible to save data on a disk and be able to trasport it from computer to computer. -
Computer
Invented by John Blankenbaker, the first ever PC compter came out. Revolutionized how technology was seen. -
E-mail
Invented by Ray Tomlinson, E-mail created a method of exchanging digital messages through a computer. This opened up a new way of communicating to others. -
Digital Camera
Created by Steven Sasson, this invention gave people a way to capture there lives and be able to keep and share memories. The first digital camera actually had a portable digital cassette recorder as its memory card. -
Microsoft
Bill Gates and Paul Allen work together to create a computer software known as Microsoft. -
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was the first reusable spacecraft which George Mueller was credited for jump starting this project that NASA succeded in. Gave a way for people to travel to space. -
Personal Computer (PC)
Once the PC was invented, many Americans bought it, forming a new way of communication. -
World Wide Web
Inveted by Tim Berners-Lee, the World Wide Web are a system of internet servers, linking documents to other documents so that one can search or navigte through it. -
Hubble Telescope
NASA's space shutte "Discovery" deploys the telescope and it led to many new discoveries and advancements in space.
