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| | Indeed, it is not easy to name what did originate in America. Not democracy. Virtually none of the great physicists, mathematicians, composers, writers, or other great thinkers came from America. What, if anything, is so special about America in its place in the world? | | Indeed, it is not easy to name what did originate in America. Not democracy. Virtually none of the great physicists, mathematicians, composers, writers, or other great thinkers came from America. What, if anything, is so special about America in its place in the world? |
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| − | In two words, "Yankee ingenuity." Virtually all great inventions since about 1750 came from America, and these creations of man have brought the world a wealth beyond all imagination. America creates, and the rest of the world copies. And neither the rest of the world or even American history books give full create to Yankee ingenuity. The Encyclopedia Britannica, which is the leading encyclopedia, listed the greatest inventions in the history of the world along with the country of the invention, and by far the highest percentage are attributed to the United States. The relatively few that are attributed to other countries are often silly or predate 1788, when the U.S. Constitution was ratified.<ref>http://corporate.britannica.com/press/inventions.html</ref> | + | In two words, "Yankee ingenuity." Virtually all great inventions since about 1776 came from America, and these creations of man have brought the world a wealth beyond all imagination. America creates, and the rest of the world copies. And neither the rest of the world or even American history books give full create to Yankee ingenuity. The Encyclopedia Britannica, which is the leading encyclopedia, listed the greatest inventions in the history of the world along with the country of the invention, and by far the highest percentage are attributed to the United States. The relatively few that are attributed to other countries are often silly or predate 1788, when the U.S. Constitution was ratified.<ref>http://corporate.britannica.com/press/inventions.html</ref> For example, the Encyclopedia Britannica lists 29 inventions for the United Kingdom, but that includes useless and even harmful creations like cloning, as well as other inventions that predate the United States such as carbonated soft drinks (which is also not particularly productive). The United States, meanwhile, is credited with 170 inventions, which is over 5 times as many creations than Great Britain even though most Americans were descended from the British and did not have as much wealth or advantage as the mother country for most of America's history. All other countries are even further behind America in inventions. |
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| − | The invention of the cotton gin in 1792 illustrates how inventions create wealth. Previously it required many men (often slaves) and backbreaking labor to separate cotton and cotton seeds from each other. But the U.S. Constitution has a unique clause that authorizes Congress to grant ownership of inventions to the inventors for a period of time, which is now set at 17 years. Soon after the Constitution was ratified in 1788, Congress passed the first patent law to encourage Americans to invent useful devices, and ever since Americans have been doing exactly that. The inventor makes money for himself because no one else may copy his invention without paying him for it, and the public benefits from how the inventions save time and money in performing necessary tasks. | + | The American invention of the cotton gin in 1792 illustrates how inventions create wealth. Previously it required many men (often slaves) and backbreaking labor to separate cotton and cotton seeds from each other. But the U.S. Constitution has a unique clause that authorizes Congress to grant ownership of inventions to the inventors for a period of time, which is now set at 17 years. Soon after the Constitution was ratified in 1788, Congress passed the first patent law to encourage Americans to invent useful devices, and ever since Americans have been doing exactly that. The inventor makes money for himself because no one else may copy his invention without paying him for it, and the public benefits from how the inventions save time and money in performing necessary tasks. |
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| | Within a few years of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution and enacting of the first patent law, Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, which was a machine that replaced hard labor of 50 men to separate cotton from cotton seeds. He received a patent (exclusive ownership) for his invention in 1794. Whitney became wealthier due to his creation as people paid him for the right to make and use his invention; southern plantations became wealthier from his invention because it reduced their costs; and the entire public became wealthier because the price of clothes containing cotton decreased due to the lower costs. This is how an invention creates wealth for the world. | | Within a few years of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution and enacting of the first patent law, Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, which was a machine that replaced hard labor of 50 men to separate cotton from cotton seeds. He received a patent (exclusive ownership) for his invention in 1794. Whitney became wealthier due to his creation as people paid him for the right to make and use his invention; southern plantations became wealthier from his invention because it reduced their costs; and the entire public became wealthier because the price of clothes containing cotton decreased due to the lower costs. This is how an invention creates wealth for the world. |
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| − | Telegraph.
| + | Several of the most important inventions concerned communications, which created wealth by reducing the costs of exchanging information, and increasing the amount of information available. In 1831, an American scientists named Joseph Henry invented the first electric telegraph, which enabled communication across distances by using codes to represent letters. Soon thereafter, the American Samuel Morse created Morse code to standardize the codes used (1835), and then in 1843 he invented the first long distance electric telegraph line. This enabled the sending and receiving of messages almost instantaneously over long distances, without having to wait for someone to travel the distance. Obviously this greatly increased the ability of people to communicate with each other, and for businesses to communicate their needs and purchases. This was not like the internet yet, but it was a tremendous improvement over sending letters by U.S. Mail, which could take weeks if the distance was long. The Pony Express was not even available then; it was first established in 1861 to try to speed up mail delivery. |
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| − | Transatlantic Cable "1866: after four attempts, permanent communication with Europe finally established by underground cable"
| + | In 1866, after four attempts, the transatlantic cable established permanent communication with Europe based on laying a cable on the ocean floor. This facilitated trade between the continents, and helped families communicate with grandparents back in Europe. |
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| − | Bessemer Process 1870s: new process made steel easy to produce
| + | Then, in 1875, perhaps the greatest invention of all for communications occurred: Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. His motivation was to help his deaf mother hear. He had been homeschooled by his mother in order to learn to read and write, and Alexander (called Aleck) wanted to repay the favor:<ref>http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/telephone/peopleevents/mabell.html</ref> |
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| | + | :Unlike others, who spoke to Mrs. Bell through her ear tube, Aleck chose to communicate with her by speaking in low, sonorous tones very close to her forehead. Young Aleck surmised that his mother would be able to "hear" him through the vibrations his vocal intonations would make. This early insight would prove significant as Alexander Graham Bell went on to develop more elaborate theories regarding the characteristics of sound waves. It would also lend rationale to Bell's opinions as to how the deaf could be assimilated into a world of sound. |
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| | + | Legend says that the first sentence spoken over the telephone was by Bell to his assistant Watson: "Watson, come here; I want you." |
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| | + | But there was far greater inventor than even Alexander Graham Bell, and he was homeschooled virtually his entire life: Thomas Edison. At the age of 7 years, Edison was sent to the local public school. The public school teacher was irritated by Edison's curiosity and questions, and aggravated by his failure to follow directions like the rest of the class. She concluded that Edison was an idiot who was incapable of learning,<ref>Specifically, the teacher concluded that Edison's brain had been "scrambled" or "addled".</ref> and after merely three months the teacher told young Edison's mother that. |
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| | + | Mrs. Edison was furious at the teacher and the public school. She immediately pulled young Thomas out of school and never sent him back. She then homeschooled him by reading from the Bible, and his father encouraged young Thomas to read the classics. Young Thomas became an voracious reader and, by the age of 12, became interested in science, chemistry and the works of Isaac Newton. Young Thomas also became an entrepreneur as a teenager, first publishing a newspaper and then memorizing Morse Code so that he could get a job transmitting messages over the telegraph by age 15. He was a very hard worker who would put in 12-hour days, 6 days a week, and then invent in his spare time. |
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| | + | This homeschooler changed the world, and is considered by many historians to have been the most influential person in the entire world over the ''last millennium'' (1000 years). Known as the "Wizard of Menlo Park," which is a town in northern New Jersey next to the town named after him (Edison), Edison did his best work in New Jersey. This historian wrote about him:<ref>From "The Heroes Of The Age: Electricity And Man," http://www.thomasedison.com/biography.html</ref> |
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| | + | :"Thomas Edison was more responsible than any one else for creating the modern world .... No one did more to shape the physical/cultural makeup of present day civilization.... Accordingly, he was the most influential figure of the millennium. ..." |
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| − | Edison/light bulb "1879: Menlo Park; 1882 lights New York; by 1898 there were 3,000 electrical generators nationwide" | + | Edison's inventions (from 1875 to about 1900) include a list of most modern technology: |
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| − | telephone. | + | * improved the telephone so that it would be practical |
| | + | * an office copying machine (mimeograph) |
| | + | * stock ticker for Wall Street |
| | + | * a practical light bulb<ref>In 1879, Edison invented the light bulb in Menlo Park, New Jersey, where this is a monument to his honor and a small museum. By 1882, Edison was able to light up New York City, and by 1898 there were 3,000 electrical generators nationwide.</ref> |
| | + | * the generation of electricity as power |
| | + | * phonograph (record player) |
| | + | * motion pictures (movies) |
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| − | motion pictures
| + | A biographer credited Edison's it was this his highly individualistic style of acquiring knowledge that eventually led him to question scores of the prevailing theories on the workings of electricity |
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| − | phonograph
| + | Bessemer Process 1870s: new process made steel easy to produce |
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| | Brooklyn Bridge "1883: cable suspension bridge in lower Manhattan, connecting it to Brooklyn, soon supported 33M persons/yr" | | Brooklyn Bridge "1883: cable suspension bridge in lower Manhattan, connecting it to Brooklyn, soon supported 33M persons/yr" |