History lists 11 innovations that changed history the compass istock 000016699382medium e

The Development of Technology in the United States

  • Cable Cars by Andrew Smith

    Cable Cars by Andrew Smith
    San Franciscan, Andrew Smith, invented the first cable car in 1871. This innovation was a very influential step in American history because it led to the formation of several different developments, which included mass transits, commuter rail lines, as well as the nation's first subway system (which took place in 1897 due to the cable disruptions and traffic congestions.)
  • Steel Bridge by James Buchanan Eads

    Steel Bridge by James Buchanan Eads
    The first structural steel bridge was built by James Eads,in 1874, in Mississippi at St. Louis. Andrew Carnegie was a big supplier to James Eads because he provided him with most of the steel her needed to construct his bridge. The construction of this bridge astonished the engineering world in the United States and led to the construction of several different artifacts in the engineering field. James Eads was awarded several awards for his effort and hardwork.
  • Telephone by Alexander Graham Bell

    Telephone by Alexander Graham Bell
    Alexander Graham Bell was a Scottish born scientist who is globally known for his creation of the telephone. This invention took communication in the United States to the next level and led to the interactions with people from all over the world whether dealing with business or even education. Overtime, phones are becoming more advanced and new software are being created. Without Alexander Bell's invention, developed communication would've not been part of our daily lives.
  • Light Bulb by Thomas Edison

    Light Bulb by Thomas Edison
    In 1876 inventor Thomas Edison, supported by one of the wealthy industrialists, J.P. Morgan, established a research laboratory in New Jersey, where he finally invented the light bulb in the year of 1878. This innovation was a massive step in American history because it led to the formation of electricity in our daily lives and it went from lighting houses, to cities, to states, and finally to the entire world.
  • Radio, or wireless by Guglielmo Marconi

    Radio, or wireless by Guglielmo Marconi
    Guglielmo Marconi was an Italian inventor known for inventing the first wireless radio. This innovation became a powerful instrument of mass popular culture. The radio was developed in the 1890s, but it became such a phenomenon during the 1920s. Most of the households owned a radio which they used to listen to music, news, weather reports, educational lectures, and live sports. This time period was a great leap in American history because media began to develop.
  • Air Conditioner by Willis Carrier

    Air Conditioner by Willis Carrier
    One of my favorite inventions, the air conditioner ! Back in 1902, Willis Carrier designed the first modern air conditioner system, which speedily spread worldwide. This innovation was a very clever idea, because it promoted in keeping our surrounding temperature suitable for us throughout our seasons. The air conditioner was very helpful to many Americans especially to those who lived in hot and humid areas.
  • Airplane by The Wright Brothers

    Airplane by The Wright Brothers
    One of the most genius inventions of all time, the airplane ! Wilbur and Orville Wright were the first people to successfully fly a plane. Their innovation massively effects our world today because they made long distance transportation so much simpler. Without the Wright Brothers there would have been less explorations and we would have had to be sailing stormy seas, and riding cars for days to get to our destinations.
  • Model T by Henry Ford

    Model T by Henry Ford
    In 1908, Henry Ford introduced the Model T, an efficient car for average Americans, which boosted the economy. The Model T showed that not only could the high class citizens afford luxurious cars, but the middle class also had an affordable car to buy. Around the 1920s Ford was rapidly manufacturing the Model T, which led to the formation of the assembly lines.
  • Electronic Television by Philo Farnsworth

    Electronic Television by Philo Farnsworth
    The Electronic Television was first invented in San Francisco by Philo Farnsworth on September 7,1927. Having a television placed in American houses bought ambiance to the family, now that they had a source of entertainment. Most of the movies being watched were educational and that provided them with a new way of learning. To this day on, the impact of television is still expanding and it's popularity has soared during the past decade.
  • First Movie With Sound by Al Jolson

    First Movie With Sound by Al Jolson
    Although the technology to make motion pictures had been available for a while, the movie industry soared to new heights during the 1920s. A variety of Americans went to the movies each and every week to watch silent pictures. In 1927, the first movie with sound, 'The Jazz Singer' by Al Jolson, was released. This was a delightful invention to Americans because they were finally able to watch movies with sounds synchronized to the actors' actions. To this day, the advancement of movies is rising.
  • Dry Printing Process by Chester Carlson

    Dry Printing Process by Chester Carlson
    The first dry printing process was invented in 1938 ( no precise day found), by Chester Carlson. The dry printing process, or electrophotography, made some things so much simpler. Typing documents using a typewriter was time consuming compared to using a printer, where you could easily make as many copies as needed. Without Chester Carlson's invention the process of copying books would've been so much more complicated.
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    The Advancement of Military Technology by Albert Einstein, General Leslie Groves and J. Robert Oppenheimer

    Early in WW2, Albert Einstein, a genius scientist, signed a letter that alerted president Roosevelt about the need to proceed with atomic development. In 1942, Roosevelt confirmed the project in what became known as the Manhattan Project. General Leslie and Oppenheimer both played a crucial role in the development of this technology. On July 16, 1945 in New Mexico, the first atomic bomb was tested. It was a very tough decision to make because it had the capability of causing massive destruction.
  • Microwave Oven by Percy Spencer

    Microwave Oven by Percy Spencer
    In the year of 1945, Percy Spencer, an American self-taught engineer, accidentally discovered a way to create a microwave oven using light energy. This invention was first tested with a popcorn, which demonstrated that the innovation was successful after it popped. Microwave ovens are often being used for preparing food as well as heating them. The benefit of having a microwave oven available, is that it saves a lot of time in the day, especially for those who have work to get done.
  • First Computer (ENIAC) by John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert

    First Computer (ENIAC) by John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert
    One of the first computers, named ENIAC, was first invented by two American scientists, John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert. The Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC), was humungous (approximately 18,000 square feet). This innovation sparked the formation of desktops, laptops, and tablets, which are widely used today for many purposes. It is formidable how quick advancements could be improved.
  • Polio Vaccine by Jonas Salk

    Polio Vaccine by Jonas Salk
    On March 26, 1952, Dr. Jonas Salk announced that he had successfully created a vaccine against Polio, the disease that had struck Franklin D. Roosevelt, as well as killed approximately two thousand people (precisely children). The discovery of this vaccine proved to Americans that healthcare was advancing overtime and that there is always a way to solve a problem if you dig deep into it. Jonas Salk was the person behind the prevention of Polio.
  • Explorer 1 by NASA

    Explorer 1 by NASA
    Three months after the Soviet Union started the Space Age by launching the first satellite Sputnik 1, the United States decided to launch their first satellite, known as Explorer 1. The satellite innovation promoted to science (astronomy), and was also beneficial in spotting any military bases during wars. It also provided NASA with live images of our earth, and encouraged the creation of weather forecasting.
  • First landing on moon by Neil Alden Armstrong

    First landing on moon by Neil Alden Armstrong
    When the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1 on October 4, 1957, the nation was ahead in the race to space. The United States was motivated to take their technology to a further level and were inspired by John F. Kennedy, to be the first nation to land a man on the moon and return him safely back to earth. Their dream became reality in 1969, when Neil Armstrong landed on the moon. This action demonstrated that we had the ability and adequate technology to explore not just earth but also the moon.
  • Microsoft by Bill Gates and Paul Allen

    Microsoft by Bill Gates and Paul Allen
    On April 4, 1975, Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft. Microsoft is a program that has and still plays a big role in our daily lives. Microsoft formed partnerships with several programs, which led to a fast spread of the program's popularity. Thanks to the invention of Microsoft, PCs were later created in which people had the opportunity to own their personal computers.
  • Jarvik 7 by Dr. Robert Karvik

    Jarvik 7 by Dr. Robert Karvik
    The Jarvik-7 heart was developed by American scientist Robert Karvik. It was implanted into a human patient, Dr. Barney Clark, in 1982 (no clear information on precise day). This was a very essential innovation because it led to a deeper exploration on transplants which saved and is still saving peoples' lives each and every day.
  • Wi-Fi by Terence Percival, Diethelm Ostry, John Deane, John O'Sullivan, and Graham Daniels

    Wi-Fi by Terence Percival, Diethelm Ostry, John Deane, John O'Sullivan, and Graham Daniels
    Wi-Fi was first invented in 1991 (no specific day) in the Netherlands, by NCR Corporation/At&T where the precursor 802.11 was created (used in cashier systems). The main inventors of this technology were Terence Percival, Diethelm Ostry, John Deane, John O'Sullivan, and Graham Daniels. This invention was a big advancement in technology, contributed to the entire world and massively influenced our lives today. Wi-Fi and internet have led to the spark of globalization in the United States.
  • Electronic books by Amazon.com

    Electronic books by Amazon.com
    In 2007 (no specific day), Amazon.com released the first electronic book, which was quite astonishing to the people at that time. Amazon's launch of the Kindle was quite a highlight in American history because people were able to carry several books using a single tablet. People went from reading from normal books and papers, to reading off of these advanced electronics. We may find it normal because of all the technologies that exist today, but it was a big deal to people in 2007.