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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 scientist named Joseph Henry invented the first electric telegraph, which enabled communication across distances by using codes to represent letters.   

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 scientist 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 communication 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.  Morse is often credited with inventing telegraphy because he made it practical.  In 1844 he sent the first long-distance message over a telegraph: "What hath God wrought?"<ref>http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/How_To_Homeschool/articles/234.php</ref>  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 when 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.

Soon thereafter, the American Samuel Morse created Morse code to standardize the communication 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.  Morse is often credited with inventing telegraphy because he made it practical.  In 1844 he sent the first long-distance message over a telegraph: "What hath God wrought?"<ref>http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/How_To_Homeschool/articles/234.php</ref>  This invention greatly increased the ability of people to communicate with each other, and for businesses to communicate their needs and purchases.  The telegraph was not as convenient as the internet, but the telegraph was a tremendous improvement over sending important messages by U.S. Mail, which could take weeks when the distance was long.  The Pony Express was not even available yet; it was first established in 1861 to try to speed up mail delivery.

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.

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.

In Boston, 100 years after the Declaration of Independence, Bell spoke the first sentence over the telephone to his assistant Watson:  "Watson, come here; I want you."

In Boston, 100 years after the Declaration of Independence, Bell spoke the first sentence over the telephone to his assistant Watson:  "Watson, come here; I want you."

[[Image:Edison and phonograph.jpg|right|thumb|the young Thomas Edison with what he considered to be his greatest invention: the phonograph, or record player]]

[[Image:Edison and phonograph.jpg|right|thumb|the young Thomas Edison with what he considered to be his greatest invention: the phonograph, or record player]]

But just as John the Baptist was immediately followed by someone far greater, Jesus, Alexander Graham Bell was immediately followed by someone far greater, Thomas Edison (pictured to the right with one of his inventions, the phonograph).  When Thomas was 7 years old, Mrs. Edison put him in 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.  The teacher concluded that Edison was incapable of learning,<ref>Specifically, the teacher thought that Edison's brain had been "scrambled" or "addled".</ref> and after merely three months the teacher told young Edison's mother that her son was an idiot.

Alexander Graham Bell was immediately followed by someone far greater, Thomas Edison (pictured to the right with one of his inventions, the phonograph).  When Thomas was 7 years old, Mrs. Edison put him in 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.  The teacher concluded that Edison was incapable of learning,<ref>Specifically, the teacher thought that Edison's brain had been "scrambled" or "addled".</ref> and after merely three months the teacher told young Edison's mother that her son was an idiot.

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 a 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 had a tremendous "work ethic," putting in 12-hour work days, 6 days a week, and then inventing in his spare time.  Thomas Edison's famous quotes include:<ref>http://quotations.about.com/od/stillmorefamouspeople/a/ThomasEdison2.htm</ref>

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 a 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 had a tremendous "work ethic," putting in 12-hour work days, 6 days a week, and then inventing in his spare time.  Thomas Edison's famous quotes include:<ref>http://quotations.about.com/od/stillmorefamouspeople/a/ThomasEdison2.htm</ref>

*"Genius is one per cent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration."

*"Genius is one per cent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration."

*"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time."

*"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time."

This homeschooler changed the world, and was ranked by Life magazine as 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.  One historian wrote about him:<ref name="Edison">From "The Heroes Of The Age: Electricity And Man," http://www.thomasedison.com/biography.html</ref>

This homeschooler changed the world, and was ranked by Life magazine as the most influential person in the entire world over the last ''millennium'' (1000 years).  He was known as the "Wizard of Menlo Park," which is a town in northern New Jersey next to the town named after him (Edison).  One historian wrote about him:<ref name="Edison">From "The Heroes Of The Age: Electricity And Man," http://www.thomasedison.com/biography.html</ref>

: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.

: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.

* an ''automated'' telegraph system

* an ''automated'' telegraph system

* a mouthpiece transmitter to make the telephone practical

* a mouthpiece transmitter to make the telephone more practical

* an office copying machine (mimeograph)

* an office copying machine (mimeograph)

* a stock ticker for Wall Street

* a stock ticker for Wall Street

Self-employed, Edison created one marvelous invention after another, acquiring more than 1300 U.S. and foreign patents throughout his life.  The wealth generated by Edison's work is unfathomable.

Self-employed, Edison created one marvelous invention after another, acquiring more than 1300 U.S. and foreign patents throughout his life.  The wealth generated by Edison's work is unfathomable.

A biographer credited Edison's "highly individualistic style of acquiring knowledge that eventually led him to question scores of the prevailing theories on the workings of electricity."<ref name="Edison"/>  Edison's success was not caused by any special advantages:  his family was poor and Edison himself was nearly totally deaf.  Imagine that:  '''''the inventor of the phonograph (record player) was deaf!'''''  Edison said, "Of all my inventions, I liked the phonograph best."<ref>http://www.phmuseum.org/depot/tour/phonograph.htm</ref>  In the picture of him on the prior page, he cannot fully hear what his own invention is playing.  We should remember that the next time we resort to excuses for not accomplishing as much as we could.

A biographer credited Edison's "highly individualistic style of acquiring knowledge that eventually led him to question scores of the prevailing theories on the workings of electricity."<ref name="Edison"/>  Edison's success was not caused by any special advantages:  his family was poor and Edison himself was nearly totally deaf.  Imagine that:  '''''the inventor of the phonograph (record player) was deaf!'''''  Edison said, "Of all my inventions, I liked the phonograph best."<ref>http://www.phmuseum.org/depot/tour/phonograph.htm</ref>  In the picture of him above, he cannot fully hear what his own invention is playing.  We should remember that the next time we resort to excuses for not accomplishing as much as we could.

One of Edison's sons, Charles, became a conservative governor of New Jersey and was later a co-founder of the Conservative Party of New York, which remains active today.

One of Edison's sons, Charles, became a conservative governor of New Jersey and was later a co-founder of the Conservative Party of New York, which remains active today.

There were other marvelous inventions and engineering feats in the second half of the 19th century.  The Brooklyn Bridge, which still stands today on the east side of lower Manhattan (connecting it with Brooklyn), is a cable suspension bridge that was completed in 1883.  It was remarkable at its time, and heralded in many new suspension bridges to span across other American waterways.  Soon the Brooklyn Bridge enabled the transportation of 33 million persons a year, and that was before the arrival of automobiles!

There were even more tremendous inventions and engineering feats in the second half of the 19th century.  The Brooklyn Bridge, which still stands today on the east side of lower Manhattan (connecting it with Brooklyn), is a cable suspension bridge that was completed in 1883.  It was remarkable at its time, and heralded in many new suspension bridges to span across other American waterways.  Soon the Brooklyn Bridge enabled the transportation of 33 million persons a year, and that was before the arrival of automobiles!

Not every invention was American, but often the Americans ("Yankees") are best at making a creation practical and most productive.  Henry Bessemer of England invented a means for converting molten pig iron into valuable steel, which was called the "Bessemer process."  The process removes impurities from the molten iron by oxidizing it with air that is blown through it.  In the 1870s Americans built steel mills, particularly in Pennsylvania, to take advantage of this process and produce large quantities of steel.  Those steel mills brought wealth to Pennsylvania for a century, until cheaper labor in Asia and a lack of protective tariffs drove the American mills out of business, leaving Pennsylvania depressed today.

Not every invention was American, but often the Americans ("Yankees") are best at making a creation practical and most productive.  Henry Bessemer of England invented a means for converting molten pig iron into valuable steel, which was called the "Bessemer process."  The process removes impurities from the molten iron by oxidizing it with air that is blown through it.  In the 1870s Americans built steel mills, particularly in Pennsylvania, to take advantage of this process and produce large quantities of steel.  Those steel mills brought wealth to Pennsylvania for a century, until cheaper labor in Asia and a lack of protective tariffs drove the American mills out of business, leaving Pennsylvania with many empty steel mills.  Today Pennsylvania is the focus of political debates about trying to bring good manufacturing jobs back to the United States.

== The "Gilded Age" ==

== The "Gilded Age" ==