Annotated Time Line of Inventions (1790-1850) timeline

The Cotton Gin - which is short for "Cotton Engine" - was patented by Eli Whitney in 1793. The Cotton Gin's purpose was to separate the cotton seeds from the cotton lint. The Cotton Gin made it easier to remove the cotton seeds. With the easy-access to cotton, the demand for it went skyrocketing. This resulted in the demand for more land and slaves from farm owners to increase. Later, the increase of slave owning made the argument about owning slaves between the North and South grow larger.

The Battery was invented by Alessandro Volta in 1800. The Battery's purpose was to create electrical energy using it's stored chemical energy. The energy of a battery could have been used for powering certain items or things such as lights. The battery changed how everyday life was like before the invention by making it easier to power everyday appliances. It could also be used as back-up energy.

The Steam Locomotive was patented by Richard Trevithick in 1802. The Steam Locomotive's purpose was to travel on rails from one place to another; while carrying railroad cars using the locomotive part. The Steam Locomotive moved using steam from boiling water as a power source. Soon, the rails for the Steam Locomotive started being created all throughout the U.S. The Steam Locomotive made transportation of people and goods faster.

The Steamboat was first made successful by Robert Fulton in 1807. (The name of the first successful ship was The Clermont.) The Steamboat's purpose was to travel in water while being powered by steam. The difference between a Sailboat and a Steamboat was that the Steamboat did not rely on wind like the Sailboat did. The Steamboat could also travel at a faster speed compared to the Sailboat. The Steamboat made travel on water easier and faster than it was before the invention.

The Camera Obscura - or "pinwhole camera" - was first invented by Ibn al-Haytham in 1814. The Camera Obscura's purpose was to help people in entertainment or drawing. How the Camera Obscura works is it lets light in with a small opening on one side of it. Then it shows a reversed copy of the image on the other side. It could show perfect representations of real life on it's flat wall. The Camera Obscura was important because it soon led to photography.

The Stethoscope was invented by Rene Theophile Hyacinthe Laënnec in 1816. The Stethoscope's purpose was to listen to sounds made in our bodies - like in the lungs or heart. The Stethoscope made it easier for people like doctors or nurses to hear the sounds the body makes in order to heal/help the patient. The Stethoscope changed what healthcare workers can and can't know when helping a patient. The Stethoscope made the healthcare worker's job easier.

The Mechanical Reaper was patented by Cyrus McCormick in 1831. The Reaper's purpose was to cut grains and grasses so that it would not have to be done by hand. The Reaper made the process of harvesting grain go faster and more efficiently than it was before the invention. The Reaper made farmers become more productive. It allowed the farmers to have more time to plant more crops. The reaper made it possible for only a single person to harvest large amounts of grain, so it lowered workers.

The Corn Planter was invented by Henry Blair in 1834. The Corn Planter's purpose was to plant corn kernels and cover them with soil. The Corn Planter was a device that would be connected to a tractor in order to be used. The Corn Planter made it easier to plant crops such as corn. The easier it was the plant the corn, the more corn that could be planted and harvested.

The Wrench was patented by Solymon Merrick in 1835. The Wrench's purpose was to tighten or loosen things like bolts, pipes, and nuts. The Wrench made it easier for people to build, repair or disassemble mechanical parts. The Wrench could also be used for non-mechanical items. The Wrench is a very useful invention and is now a commonly used tool along side many others like the hammer or screw driver.

The Telegraph was made by multiple inventors; including Samuel Morse. It was developed around 1837. The Telegraph's purpose was long-distance communication. The Telegraph did this by transferring electric signals over a wire(placed between stations). The Telegraph helped communication travel faster between long distances. The speed of the communication before the Telegraph was much more slow than it was after the invention. It was the technical start of the long-distance communication now.

The Sewing Machine was first patented by Elias Howe in 1846. The Sewing Machine's purpose was to sew fabric and other things together using thread. The Sewing Machine decreased the amount of manual sewing than was being done. The Sewing Machine made sewing easier than it was prior to the invention. The Sewing Machine made it easier to fix cloth or clothing. It also made it easier to create different types of clothing - not just fix them. It took much less time to use a Sewing Machine than sew.