-
(Watt) Steam Engine
While repairing a different version of the steam engine (the Newcomen steam engine) James Watt noticed that it was not efficient enough to be used as a main power source in factories and other machines. He created a new version of the steam engine called the Watt Steam Engine in May of 1765 which created more steam and did not lose as much heat. A steam engine uses heat, water, and pressure usually made from a boiler to make an object move; like a wheel. -
The Spinning Jenny
The Spinning Jenny was created in 1770 by an inventor named James Hargreaves. It was a hand-powered spinning machine that was mainly used to spin up bobbins of wool and cotton. Using a hand crack it was then possible to spin up to 120 bobbins of wool and cotton at a time at home or in textile factories. -
Power Loom
Edmund Cartwright invented the power loom which is very similar to weaving. It was first patented in 1785. He later used his patented invention and put it into a line of products and made his first weaving and spinning factory for other people to work in. -
Steamboat
In 1787 the first model of the steamboat was powered by James Watt’s steam engine. The inventor and engineer who created it went by the name of John Finch. In 1807 an inventor and engineer by the name of Robert Fulton made the world's first steam-powered boat to actually be a successful and sustainable model. From then on steamboats became a very popular way of commercial and passenger transportation. -
Cotton Gin
A New England inventor named Eli Whitney saw how long it took to harvest cotton so he went on a mission to create a machine that cuts down the time it took to harvest it. So in 1794 Eli’s patent went through to be the rightful owner of the world's first cotton gin. Some people think that the cotton gin belongs to the slaves for they were the first to start harvesting cotton-like machines. -
Locomotive
On February 21, 1804, a British inventor, engineer, and explorer named Richard Trevithick the first full-scale working steam locomotive. In this case, the locomotive was a train. Before the first steam locomotive trains or moving vehicles were powered by wood and other various materials that were able to be burned. -
Photograph/Camera
In 1816 the first camera was invented. Although there was a lot of contribution put into this invention prior to its creation it was the first photographic camera. It was created by a Frenchman named Joseph Nicephore Niepce. Around 20 years later after using silver chloride to line images onto paper Joseph created the oldest surviving photograph to date. -
Sewing Machine
In France, in 1830 a tailor by the name of Barthelemy Thimonnier created the first working mechanical sewing machine. The machine used a hooked or barbed needle to create a chain stitch. He put his invention into production and won a contract to produce uniforms for the French army. -
Telegraph
On May 24, 1844, the first “text message” was sent. That message said, “What hath God wrought?” Samuel Morse successfully came up with the idea and made the first telegraph using a special code called morse code. The telegraph was used to send various types of messages across the world. This really opened up opportunities to revolutionize the different types of ways to communicate. -
Dynamite
Alfred Nobel received a first-class private education along with his three other brothers. He was most interested in his studies of language literacy and chemistry. In 1866 Alfred made an invention called “dynamite” which was made out of nitroglycerine and fine sand called kieselguhr. When made into a liquid the paste could be rolled into rods and then stuck into the hole. When lit the nitroglycerin was very explosive. This helped miners made tunnels and mines a lot faster than before. -
Automobile
The first ever the automobile was created on January 29, 1866, by an inventor and engineer named Carl Benz. This is the same Benz as the very renowned car brand named Mercedes Benz. Around 1855 Carl Benz had a patent for the world's firt car powered by a gas engine. The automobile resembled the build of a very fancy bike. -
Telephone
On the 7th of March, in 1876 a Scotsman inventor named Alexander Graham Bell met a lawyer by the name of Gardiner Greene Hubbard. Together they went on to create the world's first telephone. The first model is similar to the kid's invention of a string tied to two cups. The invention continued to be modified into what we have today as landline telephones.