Technological Advances Make US Society More Efficient 1865-1929 By: Brittany Bushman
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Alexander Graham Bell's Telephone
March 7,1876 the US Patent Office approves Bell's design. July 1877 Bell's telephone becomes commercialized, making phonic communication easier and faster. (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration) -
Mass Production of Steel: The Bessmer process & Open-Hearth
In 1860, the demand for steel was on the rise. With the two new manufacturing processes, The Bessmer process invented by English inventor Henry Bessmer and the open-hearth process made the steel readily available. Steel was preferred over iron for its strength and durability. As steel became cheaper and more readily available, other industries relied upon it more heavily as a key to their growth and development, including construction and, later, the automotive industry. -
Thomas Edison's Incandescent Light Bulb
Thomas Edison's improvements on electric lighting led to domestic electrical wiring. This allowed for home lighting, street lamps, flashlights, car headlights and eventually led to countless in-home appliances. -
Westinghouse AC Power
In 1886, George Westinghouse invented the “alternating current” or AC power, which allowed for the delivery of electricity over greater distances due to its wavelike patterns. This allowed electricity to be supplied to factories, homes, and farms or anywhere that needed power could now be served, regardless of their proximity to the power source. Westinghouse developed Niagara Falls, which created the first large system to supply electricity for multiple uses, railway, lighting from one circuit. -
Transathlantic Wireless Radio Connunication
On December 12, 1901, Guglielmo Marconi succeeded in sending the first radio transmission across the Atlantic Ocean. This was the first long range radio communication transmitted more than 2,000 miles from Poldhu in Cornwall, England, to Newfoundland, Canada. This proved that radio communication over long distances could now be transmit messages rapidly over great distances. -
The Automobile & The Assembly Line
Though the automobile was invented before 1913, it was Henry Ford's innovation to standardize parts in order to expedite the manufacturing process. These efficiencies led to the mass production of the automobile at an affordable cost to the consumer. -
Garrett Morgan's Traffic Light
After witnessing an automobile collision, Morgan invented and received an approved patent for his traffic light that helped reduce collisions and increase the safety for all riders and pedestrians. -
The Complete All Electric TV System
Philo Farnsworth was an American inventor who demonstrated the first all-electronic television on September 7, 1927. The TV has been an American staple ever since transmitting motion pictures, delivering news, entertainment, and was and still is a major facilitator in mass marketing.
