Robert Fulton is best known for developing the first successful commercial steamboat. Much like Henry Ford, Robert Fulton didnt actually invent the machine he is most commonly assciated with, but his inovation is what origianlly commercialized the steam boat. Fultons invention did not only lead to new inventions, but also created a new type of transportation around the world.
Robert Fulton, was born in Little Britain, Pennsylvania, in 1765. As a child, Fulton enjoyed building mechanical devices, taking on such projects as rockets and a hand-propelled paddle wheel boat. His interest turned to art as he matured, and by the age of seventeen, Fulton was supporting himself through his sales of portraits and technical drawings. In 1786, Fulton left the United States to study painting inEngland. Although he managed some success, the general response his work received was disappointing and convinced him to
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concentrate on his engineering skills. his emerging interest inwater transportation.
His assignment involved designing a canal system to replace the locks that were then in use. After several years of work, Fulton came up with a double inclined plane system for which he was granted a British patent in 1794. His creative ideas continued to flow as he developed a plan for cast iron aqueducts and invented a digging machine; in 1796, he published asummary of his ideas on improving canal navigation in his Treatise on theImprovement of Canal Navigation.
In 1797 further research on canals took Fulton to Paris, France. While he wasthere he became fascinated with the notion of a "plunging boat," or submarine, and began designing one based on the ideas of American inventor David Bushnell. Fulton approached the French government, then at war with England, withthe suggestion that his submarine could be used to place powder mines on thebottom of British warships. After some persuasion, the French agreed to fundthe development of the boats and, in 1800, Fulton launched the first submarine, the Nautilus, at
Rouen. The 24 1/2 foot (7.5 m) long, oval-shaped vessel sailed above the water likea normal ship, but the mast and sail could be laid flat against the deck whenthe craft was submerged to a depth of twenty-five feet by filling its hollowmetal keel with water. Fulton's plan was to hammer a spike from the metal conning tower into the bottom of a targeted ship. A time-released mine attachedto the spike was designed to explode once the submarine was out of range. Although the system worked in the trials, British warships were much faster than the sloop used in the experiments and thus managed to elude the slower submarine. The French stopped funding the project after the failed battle attempt, but the British, who considered the technology promising, brought Fulton over to their side. Unfortunately, once again the submarine worked well in tests, but proved unsatisfactory on practical situations. After its failure in the Battle of Trafalgar (1805), the British too abandoned the project. After these experiences, the undaunted Fulton turned to a new area of exploration--steam. Correspondence indicates that he had been aware of work on the movement of ships by steam power since at least 1793. Through his contacts inParis, Fulton met Robert Livingston (1746-1813), the American foreign minister to France who also owned a twenty-year monopoly on steam navigation in NewYork State. Fulton shared some of his ideas about steam power with Livingstonand, in 1802, the two decided to form a business partnership. The followingyear, they launched a steamboat on the Seine river that was based on the design of fellow American John Fitch. The vessel traveled at a speed of three miles per hour and, although some adjustments were necessary to make the craft sufficiently seaworthy, it was clear that the basic technology worked well. Fulton returned to New York later in 1803 to continue developing his designs,conscious of the fact that his partner's monopoly was contingent on their development of a boat that could travel at least four miles per hour. After four years of work, Fulton launched the Clermont, a steam-powered vesselwith a speed of nearly five miles per hour. The partnership between Fulton and Livingston thrived, and Fulton had at last achieved a recognized success. During the ensuing years, Fulton designed thirteen more steamboats, includingthe Demologus, a warship; and he established an engine works in New Jersey that produced steam engines. Fulton died on February 24, 1814. His persistence and belief in his ideas helped steamboats become a major source of transportation on the rivers in the United States, and resulted in a significant reduction of domestic shipping cost
On their path to success, sometimes Joh Deere and Lewis Latimer had similar concepts. Both of them started innovating on an important idea, using their strengths. When John Deere saw that the soil was too hard to plough, he made his plow out of polished metal and gave the bottom a curved angle, solving the problems of many farmers. Being a blacksmith, he was able to find
A Dutchman named Cornelus Van Drebbel, made the very first submarine in 1652, to fight the mighty Spanish ship called the Rotterdam Boat. It carried about twelve oarsmen and even had an air circulator. It never saw any action.
Hill a market engineer was known best for being the builder of the Great Northern railroad. He was the onl y entrepreneur in the ninetiinth century who did not get any goverment funds to build his rail roads. His philosophy guided him to succeed and flourish through all the depression and fierce competion, receiving no tax payers dollars. He build the most efficient railroad lines, building the line straight as possible, taking in consideration the best elevations and useing the highest quality bessemer rails. Because he took no Federal aid he formed private contracts with Indian reservations in North Dakota and Montana. Doing this let him cut fuel costs alot and made rail repairs very low. He also Promoted exports, by giving land to immigrant along the line and showed them how to farm. He did experiments on what could be grown and how to produce it in the best way and the best quality. Doing this he was able to export wheat from the farms and also increase the population of the region. Then another thing that made him strive was he only expanded as profits allowed. He moved way slower than the other railroad companys, but when he was done his finances were well in order and sound. He was able to buy out St. Paul and Pacific Rail, also he invested 6 million dollars into 2 steamships and began exporting products from america to china, India, and Japan. this increased Us exports to japan from 7.7 million dollars to 51.7 million dollars in nine years. Also supplying
Robert Fulton, Edward K. Collins and Samuel Cunard are a few political entrepreneurs, that Folsom tells about. All three of these men worked in the steamboat industry and received federal aid to run their businesses. Also, they all had high prices for passenger fair and mail postage. Unfortunately, Cornelius Vanderbilt, a market entrepreneur, defeated Fulton, Collins and Cunard.
It's amazing to think that a young boy with just a few years of formal schooling went on to become a creative genius and one of the world's most important inventors, receiving more than 50 patents for devices that dramatically changed, improved and modernized the railway system.
Garrett morgan was a very accomplished man who was self educated and really contributed to society. He invented the original traffic light and he invented the original gas mask which saved many people's lives in many dangerous situations.
George M. Pullman is best remembered for his contributions to the railroad industry through the invention of his Pullman Cars. The cars sold well and the railroad industry flourished with this new invention. Although the success attached to his name, not many people know the real truth behind this robber baron. His greed for money took him to extreme measures as his workers were seriously mistreated and put under strict
Robert Fulton started the very first commercially successful steamboat service in America. His steam-powered paddleboat, the Clermont, sailed up the Hudson River from New York City to Albany in August of 1807. This trip lasted 32 hours
...producing his invention of the steel plow. John’s meager start with the steel plow now has turned into a business producing tractors that drive themselves. His inventions changed the way of life for farmers of the past, present and future.
Cornelius Vanderbilt is most recognized in the United States history for building the New York Central Railroad System and expanding this system to be over 2,400-miles long. From when Vanderbilt was only eleven-years-old, to the day he died, he was working hard, making money, and becoming known as one of the richest persons of, not only his time, but all time. Vanderbilt was also known for his impeccable business skills in the boating and railroad industry, and how he made such a fortune through these two things. Throughout United States history, many people are admired for their hard work and dedication to their businesses and how successful they are in their fielf, but Cornelius Vanderbilt will always be remembered as the most successful, competitive, hard-working, and intelligient businessman in the hisstory of the United States. (Childhood, Life Achievements & Timeline: Who Is Cornelius Vanderbilt? Everything You Need to Know. Page
When asked the question, “If you could meet any American of historical significance who would it be?” For me, I chose Henry Ford. Henry Ford is an iconic American who most people think invented the car, but the car had been invented some time before Ford. Although he did design a brand of car, which is still very much popular today, Henry Ford is famous for using the assembly line to produce his cars much faster and much cheaper than his competitors. A middle-class American could now afford an automobile that was dependable and stylish too. Henry Ford was “an automaker, the man who founded the Automobile Age.” (Brinkley 2003, 523)
Building a canal to connect the seas together wasn?t originally Roosevelt?s idea. The idea had been around since Spanish colonial times, but the United States took interest in the subject too as they expanded westward. In 1846 a treaty was signed granting the United States transit rights across the Isthmus of Panama, as long as they guaranteed neutrality in Panama and Columbia. In 1848, Great Britain and the United States had great interest in building the Nicaragua Canal, a route other than across the Isthmus of Panama. The Clayton-Buwler Treaty of 1850, in which Great Britain and the United States promised that any canal in Central America would be politically neutral, ended the rivalry between the two countries. Credit of the idea for building a canal can be given to Cornelius Vanderbilt. H realized he could make quite a profit from the canal. The United States found it imperative that they had control over a canal in Latin America, but did not know whether to build one in Nicaragua or Panama. Later, in 1878, a French company under Ferdinand de Lesseps, who was an ambitious man who built the Suez Canal, was grant...
Inventors make many lives more comfortable and convenient. George Edward Alcorn, Jr. was a well-known inventor, but he was a well-established scientist and businessman.... ... middle of paper ... ...
New technology is arriving every day. The greatest invention during this time was the steam engine. The creation of the steam engine was credited to James Watt. There had been other steam engines before James Watt’s, but none of them were efficient. Watt’s engine was the first efficient engine that could be used in a factory.
Samuel Finley Breese Morse was born on April 27, 1791, in Charlestown, just outside of Boston, Massachusetts. He was the son of Jedidiah Morse, a pastor who was as well known for his geography as Noah Webster, a friend of the family, was known for his dictionaries. At Yale College, Morse was an indifferent student, but his interest was aroused by lectures on the newly-developed subject of electricity, and he painted miniature portraits. After college, to the discomforting parents, Morse directed his enthusiasm to painting, which he studied in England. After settling in New York City in 1825, he became one of the most respected painters of his time.