Journey Aquino
Ms. Jessica Chisholm
AP Language & Composition
12 April 2017
American Innovation
Even with the ever-changing demands of technology around the world, the United States has continued to place emphasis on research and development; Americans have never ceased to make our everyday lives better with innovations and world-changing inventions. The endless number of American inventions, their complexity, as well as the dedication of intellectuals to improve the lives of others make innovation a good thing about America.
Most of the world-changing inventions we use today were created by American intellectuals. Discovery Channel’s documentary titled, Inventions That Shook the World, highlights some of the world’s most important inventions.
…show more content…
The majority of the inventions mentioned in the documentary were created by Americans, including the electric vacuum, cash register, and jet engine. The documentary illustrates the stories of how these creations came about, provides the perspective of several invention processes, and highlights the determination and dedication behind their efforts. James M. Spangler, and American who cleaned carpets for a living wondered if the motor and fan blades of a ceiling fan could be used to make sweeping an easier task (Source B). As he tinkered around and made several adjustments to the complex mechanism, he was able to create the electric vacuum, which collected the dust off of carpets into a pillowcase. Spangler’s invention continues to impact domestic and commercial settings today, allowing more time for other responsibilities. Similarly, the car that is deemed to be “one of America’s greatest achievements,” still continues to be the most common mode of transportation (Source A). Charles and Frank Duryea’s creation of the first automobile transformed the lives of others by providing ordinary people with an affordable means of personal transportation. The numerous life-changing inventions explain that our knowledge and understanding of innovation is set apart from other countries and that American inventors have contributed a great deal to science as we know it. The reason why we can communicate internationally or have access to an unlimited amount of online resources is because of the creativity and brilliance of American scientists.
Practically two of the most significant inventions in the world, the telephone and the internet, brought about new means of communication and changed the way we research and gather information. American inventor, Alexander Graham Bell, had a passion for educating the deaf, which eventually sparked his interest in creating the microphone (Source A). His creation has not only helped those with hard hearing, but it has also assisted other scientists in understanding the technology behind the transmission of sound through electricity. In 1876, Bell created the telephone which could “move ideas as quickly as they could think them” (Source F). The telephone is still one of the main methods of long-distance communication and top influences on the global economy, alongside the computer. The personal computer, developed in the late 1970s, encouraged Americans to incorporate technology into their daily lives because Apple founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak helped make the device more affordable and user-friendly (Source F). Today, many homes around the world use PCs for a variety of applications that include making calculations, listening to music, researching information, socializing across various media websites, and communicating with others around the globe. Eduardo Porter from The New York Times, however, claims that American innovation is on a downward slope due to “government budgets for basic research” that challenge the future of scientific inquiry (Source C). Although financial aid for the manufacturing of products should be taken into consideration, large portions of money are not the main priority in the beginning stages. The majority of innovators seek to improve the lives of others by creating products that are time and cost-efficient. Some of the greatest inventions have even been
made during times of economic hardships, which shows that the need for money should not hinder intellectuals from making great discoveries. The way we live has been changed because of several American inventions that make day-to-day tasks much easier and more cost-effective. The burning curiosity of scholars along with their desire to improve the lives of others are the driving forces of innovation. Even during the late eighteenth century, American thinkers looked ahead and sought to save time and money. People around the world continue to embrace the technological developments and advancements made by American innovators.
There have been many inventions throughout history and some of them have been a lot more helpful than others. The GPS, the Pacemaker, and the cell phone are all very important innovations made to the new world. Without these modern day inventions a lot of thing and the way we interact would be different
There were many inventions and Inventors of the time. The U.S. t the time was a nation of backyard tinkers and we had the Yankee curiosity that turned out thousands of new products every year. We had many of the most important inventions made on United States soil. Thomas Edison made the first incandescent light bulb. Sam Morse created the telegraph (Morse Code). Henry Ford made Ford Motors and the assembly line. The Wright Brothers made the Airplane. Christopher Sholes was the creator of the typewriter.
For Americans, this allowed for overnight travel and became time-saving. Beneficial to businesses in the railroad industry, the demand of these cars went up. Moreover, Alexander Graham Bell was an inventor who created the telephone in 1876, inspired by the hearing impairment of both his mother and wife. The patent of this invention was soon recognized globally, and affected the means of communication. Although it was a novelty item, it was crucial and necessary for businesses to possess.
All fields of science affects the lives of many people, but the inventors are left out. Inventors make many lives more comfortable and convenient. George Edward Alcorn, Jr. was a not so well-known inventor, but he...
Over the course of human history, we as a species have progressed an unimaginably large amount. The source of this progression? Innovation. Without innovation, there is no progression. This then begs another question: why do we innovate? The answer to this is simply that we have issues that we must overcome. We have to innovate to solve our problems, but then those leads to more problems, and therefore more innovation. Although this is a large scale example, the spirit of invention is also important in everyday life as we face our own smaller-scale problems. Without invention, how can we expect to get anywhere? How can we ever accomplish anything, or resolve anything? Without invention, we wouldn’t have electricity, automobiles, or television. We also wouldn’t have success, joy, or relationships, as there are problems that we must solve to
The Myths of Innovation by Scott Berkun completely changed the way I view creativity. I noticed that we all have creativity inside of us; it is by means of expressing our deepest desires and ideas that we display our creativity to others. Burkun destroys myth after myth about innovation, which had me ready to start inventing my first million dollar idea! Berkun outlines ways to tap into innovation and pulls from history to guide us into the future. His simple and common prose gave me courage to tackle the tough problems. I now feel as though I have a firm grasp on what it means to be an effective creator.
Kelley,T. (2005, Oct.). The 10 faces of innovation. Fast Company, 74-77. Retrieved 6th March’ 2014 from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=9&sid=1d6a17b7-c5f7-4f00-bea4 db1d84cbef55%40sessionmgr10&hid=28&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=bth&AN=18386009
Since the 1800s, many of these innovations such as the electric battery, light bulbs, television, computers, and credit cards have all been invented (Text 4). This means in just over 200 years, these inventions have been created and are still being used today in the world. For example, machines like the electric telegraph made it easier to send messages and allowed responses to be sent back faster. Other more luxury inventions like the credit card helps an individual to buy items without having actual money on hand. Without the Modern Revolution taking place, many innovations that helped advanced and revolutionize the world would have not been
“We’ve done it! I didn’t get every word. But I could hear most of them and all of the last sentence. Speech by telegraph, Watson! This will change the world!” -Alexander Graham Bell (qtd. in Ross 7). Moments after the first telephone call, it was clear that Bell knew his work would have a monumental impact. Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876 at the remarkably young age of age 29, and his efforts made immeasurable changes to the telecommunications industry. Alexander Graham Bell was a valued teacher of the deaf, a tremendous invento, that produced the audacious technology of telephone, and an the creator of a prosperous company. Alexander Graham Bell’s several great accomplishments in telecommunications make him worthy of the honor of being placed on United States Currency.
Reading the article, I found it interesting and quite informative. There is little doubt that innovation has played a major role in fostering America’s prosperity. From the days of Thomas Edison to this age of Apple and Google, innovation has been at the forefront of opening up new economic frontiers. Any movement, therefore, that seeks to foster the spirit innovation is highly
On March 10th, 1876, a revolutionary invention was created by Alexander Graham Bell. The telephone was invented to send vibrations from one receiver to another electrically (History.com ‘Speech Transmitted by Telephone’ accessed on March 11, 2014), and due to Alexander Graham Bell accidentally discovering that he could hear the sound of a ‘clock spring twanging’ (Marry Bellis, ‘The History of the Telephone’ accessed on March 11, 2014), that was possible. The invention of the telephone permitted new levels of communication, allowed families connect around the world, and improved military systems, but also served negative consequences, such as breached privacy. If two people wanted to have a conversation, they would have to write letters back and forth, but with the telephone they were able to pick up the receiver, dial the number, and be connected in a matter of minutes. Telephones enabled long-distance communication, which allowed families to converse despite their location. Military officials and soldiers were also able to stay in touch through field telephones as well as keep contact with the president. Although telephones were originally placed in general stores or other major city locations and homes/neighborhoods that were wired (Elon.edu ‘World Changes Due to the Telephone’ accessed on April 2, 2014), telephones became commonly used in homes in the early twentieth century when telephones began to connect internationally.
Today’s technology is advancing at a tremendous speed, yet some inventions still remain unchanged and inspiring. Even though there are many inventions existed that benefit our life, only certain inventions could be still alive because of their benefits brought to the people. In “Don’t Change a Thing” by Therese Oneill, Oneill introduces us the six eternal invention that still exist today. Also, Jessica Guynn’s article, “Douglas Engelbart Dies at Age 88”, explains how the passion and inspiration of Engelbart brought to the field of computer create today’s revolutionary computer. Despite the fact that many inventions exist, many people abandon them or eventually change them completely. However, some inventions succeed in preserving and become timeless because of their usefulness and inventor’s passion and inspiration built in the invention.
Despite the short amount of time since the introduction of the smartphone, the rapid development of the software and technology has had a tremendous effect on the everyday life of society today. The concept of communicating through a telephone was developed in the 1870s. Devices to transmit speech electrically were designed by Elisha Gray and Alexander Graham Bell, but Bell's design was patented first. On March 10, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell achieved one of his greatest successes in the making of the telephone. This brought upon a major change in communication and gave leeway to the improvement of the telephone in the days to come (Bellis, 2013b).
Although technology isn’t a new concept, especially in the 21st century, its constantly evolution ensures it’s in trend. Innovation is the key to modern technology. Whether it’s simple or sophisticated, it’s evidently noticeable that technology is advancing at a rapid pace that is proving to be well ahead of its time.
The one invention that affected our lives was the telephone which Alexander Graham Bell and assistant, Antonio Meucci