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Steam Engine Invented
This is an engine that could draw water from flooded mines using steam pressure. These engines could potentially carry water up 80 feet. The first effective steam engine was created by Thomas Newcomen in England. -
Seed Drill Invented
In 1701, Jethro Tull invented the first seed drill. Before this, farmers had to walk in rows and plant the seeds themselves. This machine allowed horses to pull the seed drill and evenly space the seeds it planted while covering them up after it planted them. This invention quickly became popular in England and was adopted by New England. -
Flying Shuttle Invented
Invented by John Kay, the flying shuttle was a machine that was thrown or passed through the threads. This required two weavers to the sitting side by side. This allowed wider fabrics to be weaved, and it made weaving a lot faster. Wool manufacturers in Yorkshire, England quickly accepted this idea, even though workers were not very happy. -
Spinning Jenny Invented
The spinning jenny is a machine that greatly increased the output of thread by increasing the number of spindles that could be used with a single wheel. While this invention threatened the jobs of many workers, James Hargreaves continued to work and eventually created this invention. It was invented in Lancashire, England. -
First Power Loom Designed
The first power loom was designed in 1784 by Edmund Cartwright in England. The first one was not built until 1785. It reduced the demand for skilled weavers, which caused protests from workers. -
Cotton Gin Patent Granted
Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin in 1793. This allowed cotton seeds to be removed from the cotton much faster than picking them out by hand. This invention revolutionized the production of cotton in the U.S., and it increased imports of cotton to other countries. -
Alessandro Volta Described First Electric Battery
Volta, the inventor of the electric battery, traveled to Paris to show his invention. This is the first portable form of energy. Volta described his battery as an "artificial electric organ". This is because people often used frogs' muscles to conduct electricity. -
First American Typewriter Patent
In 1829, Austin Burt got a patent for his typewriter that writes on a long strip of paper on one line. This invention caused many other American inventors like Burt to attempt to create better typewriters. -
Michael Faraday creates the First Electric Generator
During October of 1831, Michael Faraday created the first electric generator that consisted of a wire wrapped around a tube that was insulated in cotton and a bar magnet. He made this in the basement of the Royal Institute in London. Almost all electric power that is used today uses Faraday's principles. -
Factory Act of 1833 Takes Effect
This Factory Act for the U.S. said that no children could work under the age of 9. It also set limits on hours for workers over that age. This act was enforced by factory inspectors. -
Mines and Collieries Act of 1842
This act made sure that no females or children under 10 years old were able to work underground. This act was placed in the United Kingdom. While it made work safer, many families were frustrated because they could not make as much money. -
Factory Act of 1844
This act reduced the amount of hours children between the ages of eight and thirteen could work. This act took place in the UK, and it also required records to be kept about the workers that were at each factory. -
First Message Transmitted on Telegraph from Washington to Baltimore
Samuel Morse, who was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts, revolutionized long distance communication with this invention. It transmits electrical signals over a wire and can send large messages using Morse Code. -
First Escalator Patented
The first escalator was patented in 1859 by Nathan Ames, but the first working escalator was not made until 1892 by Jesse W. Reno. He installed in at Coney Island in 1896. -
First Telephone Call by Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and was educated in speech. His patent for the telephone was issued on March 7, and the first call occurred three days later to Graham Bell's assistant, Thomas Watson. His words were "Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you." -
Thomas Edison Filed a Patent for an Electric Lamp
Between 1878 and 1880, Thomas Edison did many tests on designs for light bulbs. Edison did a lot of testing, including burning 6,000 different plants to see which would burn the longest. These tests occurred in Edison's lab in Menlo Park, New Jersey. -
First Metal Detector Invented in America
Alexander Graham Bell invented the first metal detector to find the bullet that shot President James Garfield in New Jersey. The first portable metal detector was not invented until 1925. -
First Wireless Telegraph Patented
The first wireless telegraph was patented by Guglielmo Marconi, who set up Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Company in London. The first wireless transmission was made in 1892 by William Preece. -
First Modern-Day Air Conditioner
An engineer from New York named Willis Carrier created the air conditioner while attempting to control humidity in the printing plant he worked in. The machine he created also lower the temperature. His design was used to create the types of air conditioners we have today. -
First Airplane Flights
On this day, Orville and Wilbur Wright made four flights at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. This is the first successful airplane, and it led to many future innovations that allow people to travel farther faster.
