NEW INVENTIONS CHANGE AMERICA TRANSATLANTIC CABLE 1866 Inventor

NEW INVENTIONS CHANGE AMERICA

TRANSATLANTIC CABLE (1866) • Inventor: • Cyrus Field • Purpose/How was it used? • An underwater cable across the Atlantic Ocean • How did it improve existing devices/methods? • It allowed for much faster communication between Europe and the US

TELEPHONE (1876) • Inventor: • Alexander Graham Bell • Purpose/How was it used? • Allowed for the transmission of sound waves through wires • How did it improve existing devices/methods? • It allowed for faster communication and sped up

ELECTRIC POWER PLANT (1882) • Inventor: • Thomas Edison • Purpose/How was it used? • Provided electricity to homes and businesses • How did it improve existing devices/methods? • It allowed for electricity to power homes, businesses, factories, streetcars, etc. (SAFER!)

REFRIGERATION (1880 S) • Inventor: • Gustavus Swift • Purpose/How was it used? • Introduced in the meat packing industry to cool/preserve meat (especially with refrigerated railroad cars • How did it improve existing devices/methods? • Meat and other foods could be preserved longer without spoiling; More Americans buy and eat meat

PERSONAL CAMERA (1888) • Inventor: • George Eastman • Purpose/How was it used? • Cheap, lightweight camera that did not require chemicals • How did it improve existing devices/methods? • People can take their own pictures and send to

ASSEMBLY LINE/CARS (1913) • Inventor: • Henry Ford • Purpose/How was it used? • Divides the process of making cars into many small steps performed by individual workers • How did it improve existing devices/methods? • It allowed for much faster production of large quantities of cars (and other products); Cars become less expensive and more people buy them changing

AIRPLANE (1903) • Inventor: • Orville and Wilbur Wright • Purpose/How was it used? • Gasoline powered “flying machine” • How did it improve existing devices/methods? • It had little impact at first, but with improvements planes became popular for long-distance travel

DEBRIEFING • How did these new inventions change life in the United States in the late 1800 s? • Which invention do you think most