New Communication Technologies
The United States had become a land of invention. Between 1870 and 1900, patent officers issued more than 500,000 new patents. A flood of invention swept the United States in the late 1800s. Some inventions helped industry to grow and become more efficient. Others made daily life easier in many American homes.
Better communication was vital to growing American businesses. Some remarkable new devices filled the need for faster communication. The telegraph, which had been in use since 1844, helped people around the nation stay in touch. For example, a steel maker in Pittsburgh could instantly order iron ore from a mine in Minnesota.The Patent Office in Washington, D.C., shown here, issued thousands of patents to inventors in the late 1800s. Many of these inventions raised the American standard of living.
Transatlantic Communication The telegraph sped up communication within the United States. It still took weeks, however, for news from Europe to arrive by ship.
Cyrus Field had the idea of laying a cable under the ocean so that telegraph messages could go back and forth between North America and Europe. He began working in 1854, making five attempts to lay the cable. Each time, the cable snapped. In 1858, two American ships managed to lay a cable between Ireland and Newfoundland, linking Europe and North America. Field then arranged for Britain's Queen Victoria in London to send the first transatlantic, or across-the-Atlantic, message to President James Buchanan in Washington, D.C. For three weeks, Field was a hero. Then, the cable broke. But Field would not give up. In 1866, the ship Great Eastern succeeded in laying a more durable cable. Field's transatlantic cable brought the United States and Europe closer together and made him famous.In five months … the cable had been manufactured, shipped … stretched across the Atlantic, and was sending messages … swift as lightning from continent to continent.
—Cyrus Field, speech, 1866
The Bell Telephone Company The telegraph sent only dots and dashes over the wire. Several inventors were looking for a way to transmit voices. One of them was Alexander Graham Bell, a Scottish-born teacher of the deaf.
Bell had been working on his invention since 1865. In March 1876, he was ready to test his “talking machine.” Bell sat in one room and spoke into his machine. His assistant, Thomas Watson, sat in another room with the receiver. “Mr. Watson, come here. I want to see you,” Bell said. Watson heard the words faintly and rushed to Bell's side. “Mr. Bell,” he cried, “I heard every word you said!” The telephone worked.
Bell's telephone aroused little interest at first. Scientists praised the invention. Most people, however, saw it as a toy. Bell offered to sell the telephone to the Western Union Telegraph Company for $100,000. The company refused—a costly mistake. In the end, the telephone earned Bell millions.
Bell formed the Bell Telephone Company in 1877. By 1885, he had sold more than 300,000 phones, mostly to businesses. With the telephone, the pace of business sped up even more. People no longer had to go to a telegraph office to send messages. Business people could find out about prices or supplies by picking up the telephone.In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell (standing on the left) invented the telephone, a device that would revolutionize communication.
Thomas Edison, American Inventor
In an age of invention, Thomas Edison was right at home. In 1876, he opened a research laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey. There, Edison boasted that he and his co-workers created a “minor” invention every 10 days and “a big thing every six months or so.” By the end of his career, Edison had earned worldwide fame as the greatest inventor of the age.
The “Wizard of Menlo Park” The key to Edison's success lay in his approach. He turned inventing into a system. Teams of experts refined Edison's ideas and translated them into practical inventions. The work was long and grueling. “Genius,” Edison said, “is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.”The results were amazing. Edison became known as the “Wizard of Menlo Park” for inventing the light bulb, the phonograph, and hundreds of other devices.
One invention from Edison's laboratory launched a new industry: the movies. In 1893, Edison introduced his first machine for showing moving pictures. Viewers watched short films by looking through a peephole in a cabinet. Later, Edison developed a motion picture projector, making it possible for many people to watch a film at the same time. By 1908, thousands of silent-movie houses had opened in cities across the United States.
The Age of Electricity One of Edison's most important creations was the electric power plant. He built the first power plant in New York City in 1882. He wired the business district first in hopes of attracting investors. With the flip of a switch, Edison set the district ablaze with light.Within a year, Edison's power plant was supplying electricity to homes as well as businesses. Soon, more power plants were built. Factories replaced steam-powered engines with safer, quieter, electric engines. Electric energy powered streetcars in cities and lighted countless homes. The modern age of electricity had begun.Refrigeration In the 1880s, Gustavus Swift came up with an idea that transformed the American diet. Swift introduced refrigeration to the meatpacking industry. In the past, cattle, pigs, and chickens had been raised and sold locally. Meat spoiled quickly, so it could not be shipped over long distances.
Swift set up a meatpacking plant in Chicago, a railroad hub midway between the cattle ranches of the West and the cities of the East. Cattle were shipped by train to Chicago. At Swift's plant, the animals were slaughtered and carved up into sides of beef. The fresh beef was quickly loaded onto refrigerated railroad cars and carried to market. Even in summer, Swift sent fresh meat to eastern cities.
Improvements in Offices and Homes New inventions also affected life at home and in the office. Christopher Sholes perfected the typewriter in 1868. This invention sped up communication between businesses.
In 1888, George Eastman introduced the lightweight Kodak camera. No longer did photography require bulky equipment and chemicals. After 100 snaps of the shutter, the owner returned the camera to Kodak. The company developed the pictures and sent them back, along with a reloaded camera. Taking pictures became a popular pastime.
African American Inventors African Americans contributed to the flood of inventions. In 1872, Elijah McCoy created a special device that oiled engines automatically. It was widely used on railroad engines and in factories. Another inventor, Granville T. Woods, found a way to send telegraph messages between moving railroad trains.A photo shows four women in long-sleeved shirts and long skirts sitting at desks in front of typewriters. A fifth woman stands, watching the women work.Jan Matzeliger invented a machine that could perform almost all the steps in shoemaking that had previously been done by hand. Patented in 1883, Matzeliger's machine was eventually used in shoe factories across the country.
Many African-American inventors had trouble getting patents for their inventions. Even so, in 1900, an assistant in the patent office compiled a list of patents issued to African-American inventors. The list, together with drawings and plans of all the inventions, filled four huge volumes.No single person invented the automobile. Europeans had produced motorized vehicles as early as the 1860s. By 1890, France led the world in automaking. In the 1890s, several Americans began building cars. Still, only the wealthy could afford them.Henry Ford's Assembly Line It was Henry Ford who made the auto a part of everyday American life. In 1913, Ford introduced the moving assembly line. With this method of production, workers stay in one place as products move along on a track or belt. At Ford's auto plant, one group of workers would bolt seats onto a passing car frame, the next would add the roof, and so on. The assembly line greatly reduced the time needed to build a car. Other industries soon adopted the method.
Ford's assembly line allowed the mass production of cars. Mass production means making large quantities of a product quickly and cheaply. Because of mass production, Ford could sell his cars at a lower price than other automakers.
“Horseless Carriages” Catch On It took a number of years for the automobile to catch on. At first, most people laughed at it. Some thought the “horseless carriage” was a nuisance. Others thought it was dangerous. A backfiring auto engine could scare a horse right off the road. Towns and villages across the nation posted signs: “No horseless carriages allowed.” In Tennessee, a person planning to drive a car had to advertise the fact a week ahead of time. This warning gave others time to prepare for the danger!
Over time, attitudes toward the automobile changed. No other means of travel offered such freedom. As prices dropped, more people could afford to buy cars. In 1900, only 8,000 Americans owned cars. By 1917, more than 4.5 million autos were chugging along American roads.
Automobiles were at first regarded as machines for men only. Automakers soon realized, however, that women could drive—and buy—cars. Companies began to direct advertisements to women, stressing the comfort and usefulness of automobiles. Driving gave women greater independence.Meanwhile, two Ohio bicycle mechanics, Orville and Wilbur Wright, were experimenting with another new method of transportation: flying. The Wright brothers owned a bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio. During the 1890s, they read about Europeans who were experimenting with glider planes. The brothers were soon caught up in the dream of flying.
After trying out hundreds of designs, the Wright brothers tested their first “flying machine” on December 17, 1903, at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Orville made the first flight. The plane, powered by a small gasoline engine, stayed in the air for 12 seconds and flew a distance of 120 feet. Orville flew three more times that day. His longest flight lasted 59 seconds.
Improvements came quickly after the first flight. By 1905, the Wrights had built a plane that could turn, make figure-eights, and remain in the air for up to half an hour.
Surprisingly, the first flights did not attract much interest. No one could see any practical use for the flying machine.
It was the United States military that first saw a use for airplanes. In 1908, the Wrights demonstrated how planes could fly over battlefields to locate enemy positions. Then, they produced an airplane for the military that could reach the amazing speed of 40 miles per hour!
In time, the airplane would achieve its vast potential. It would change the world by making travel quicker and trade easier.
By reading this answer these questions Describe new technologies of the late 1800s
Describe the role of patents in innovation
Analyze the effects of technology on American lives
1. New technologies of the late 1800s included the telegraph, the telephone, the light bulb, the phonograph, the motion picture projector, the electric power plant, the typewriter, the Kodak camera, refrigeration in the meatpacking industry, and the automobile. These inventions revolutionized communication, transportation, home life, and industry in America.
2. Patents played a crucial role in innovation during the late 1800s. The patent system allowed inventors to protect their inventions and ideas, giving them the incentive to invest time and resources into creating new technologies. Patents also allowed inventors to profit from their inventions, encouraging further innovation. The Patent Office issued thousands of patents during this time period, contributing to the flood of inventions that improved American living standards.
3. The effects of technology on American lives during the late 1800s were significant. Communication became faster and more efficient with the telegraph and telephone, enabling businesses to operate more effectively. New inventions like the light bulb, phonograph, and motion picture projector transformed entertainment and leisure activities. The introduction of electric power plants improved living conditions and increased productivity in factories. The automobile provided newfound freedom and independence, while the airplane opened up possibilities for travel and military use. Overall, technology greatly impacted American society, economy, and culture during this time period.
What do you think Edison meant when he said, “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration”? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.
Possible response: I think Edison wanted people to understand that creating something is much harder than just thinking up something to create. This is why Edison had a team of experts who worked long hours to help him turn his ideas into practical inventions. He knew that the real work was in correcting flaws, often through repeated trial and error.
Edison's quote, "Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration," suggests that the key to success is not just having a brilliant idea, but also putting in the hard work and effort required to turn that idea into a reality. This is supported by evidence from the text, which describes how Edison approached inventing as a systematic process. He set up a research laboratory where he and his team worked tirelessly to refine his ideas and develop practical inventions. The text also mentions that Edison and his coworkers created a "minor" invention every 10 days and "a big thing every six months or so," indicating the continuous hard work and effort they put into their projects. Additionally, the quote highlights the importance of perseverance and determination in the face of challenges and setbacks, as inventing often involved trial and error to achieve success. Overall, Edison's quote emphasizes the idea that success is not just about having a brilliant idea, but also about putting in the hard work and dedication necessary to bring that idea to fruition.
Compare and contrast the impact of the telegraph and the telephone. Possible response: Both inventions allowed for the immediate transmission of information. They both therefore aided the sharing of information and the growth of businesses. The telephone, however, allowed people to communicate verbally rather than through the language of Morse code. The telephone also could be installed in a home or place of business, whereas the telegraph required an individual to visit a telegraph office in order to send a message.
Both the telegraph and the telephone revolutionized communication by enabling the immediate transmission of information over long distances. They both played a crucial role in aiding the sharing of information and facilitating the growth of businesses. However, there are several key differences in the impact and functionality of the two inventions.
The telegraph enabled communication by transmitting messages in Morse code, while the telephone allowed for verbal communication, making it easier and more efficient for individuals to convey messages accurately. The use of verbal communication through the telephone made it more user-friendly and accessible to a wider range of people, as not everyone was trained in Morse code to use the telegraph effectively.
In terms of accessibility, the telephone could be installed in homes or businesses, providing a direct and convenient means of communication. On the other hand, the telegraph required individuals to visit a telegraph office to send a message, making it less convenient and limiting its use to specific locations.
Overall, while both the telegraph and the telephone had a significant impact on communication and business growth, the telephone's ability to facilitate verbal communication and its accessibility in homes and businesses set it apart from the telegraph, making it a more widely adopted and user-friendly technology in the late 1800s.
4 sentence answer
The telegraph and the telephone both revolutionized communication by allowing for instant transmission of information over long distances. While the telegraph used Morse code for communication, the telephone provided a more user-friendly and efficient method through verbal communication. The telephone's accessibility in homes and businesses made it a more widely adopted technology compared to the telegraph, which required visits to telegraph offices. Both inventions significantly impacted business growth and facilitated the sharing of information in the late 1800s.
choose one of the inventions on your list and write a paragraph explaining how you think this invention changed the use of resources in this country.
Your invention is the automatic shoe lasting machine
Jan Matzeliger invented the automatic shoe lasting machine, mechanizing the complex process of joining a shoe sole to its upper, and revolutionizing the shoe industry. Matzeliger was born in Dutch Guiana (now Suriname) and was self-educated.