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End of the Civil War
On April 9th, 1865, just shy of 4 years after it started, the brutal Civil War ended with Robert E. Lee's surrender to Ulysses S. Grant. During the Civil War, the North was rapidly industrializing to produce more supplies and guns for the war against the South. For every 3200 guns made in the North, 100 were made in the South. This rapid industrialization was one of the North's keys to victory. The existing manufacturing infrastructure could then further be used once the conflict ended. -
Completion of the Transcontinental Railroad
With the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, no longer would the venture out to the west be risky and uncertain, traveling long and unsafe journeys on the back of a wagon. Instead, people could simply get on a train and travel out West consistently and safety. It boomed the economy and expansion of the West, as journeys with people, supplies, and manufacturing materials that would previously take weeks now only took days, and were far safer to undertake. -
The Telephone is patented
On March 3rd, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell was granted the patent for the first telephone. A few days later, he allegedly made the first phone call to a man named Watson, speaking the phrase “Mr. Watson, come here. I want you.” The telephone has unequivocally revolutionized long distance communications. Today, according to Pew Research, 97% of American adults own some kind of cell phone. The invention of the phone is vital to the way our society works today. -
The Wright Brothers take flight
On December 17th, 1903, the Wright Brothers initiated the age of flight with their "Wright Flyer", flying for a total of 12 seconds for 120ft. They were pioneers of many aeronautical development tools still used today, such as wind tunnels. Today, roughly 100,000 flights with roughly 6 million people travel across the world every day, connecting people to destinations across the planet with only a few hours. The first man would go to space, Yuri Gagarin, would do so only 58 years later. -
The Ford Model T enters production
The Ford Model T was invented by Henry Ford on October 1st, 1908. It was the first car to be mass-produced using assembly line techniques, making it affordable for the average person. After the Model T, more and more products were produced using this assembly line style, making them cheaper and more widely available. This revolutionized not only the automotive industry, but all manufacturing, and paved the way for modern transportation. It also introduced the concept of interchangeable parts. -
The first Electric Fridge was invented
The electric fridge was invented in 1913 and revolutionized the way we store food. It made it possible to keep food fresh for longer periods of time and greatly improved the ease and accessibility of food in daily life. Today the electric fridge is an essential appliance in households around the world, as it helps to reduce waste and prevent the spread of foodborne illnesses. It has also supported growth of the food industry by enabling companies to transport and store foods over long distances.