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Sextant
A sextant is a tool used to measure the distance between two objects. It was primarily used by navigators to calculate the distance between celestial bodies. John Bird created the first sextant using the principles of Isaac Newton. The invention of the sextant was an improvement in navigational technologies. -
Spinning Jenny
James Hargreaves invented the Spinning Jenney in England. This invention helped reduce the amount of time it took to make yarn. It is significant because it saved money because more yarn was made in less time and it was efficient -
Carbonated Water
Carbonated water is water that has carbon dioxide gas under pressure dissolved into it. It was invented by Joseph Priestly. Carbonated water is the base for soda, one of the most popular drinks in the modern world. Without this invention, there would be no soda. -
Steam Engine
The steam engine was a new machine that used steam as its primary source of fuel. It was a much more efficient method of transportation and production than horses and hand operated machines. Steam engines were what powered large ships and trains, and provided the spark to connect not only the U.S, but the world as well -
Flush Toilet
The flush toilet disposes of anything put in it through a drain pipe and into a sewer. It was pioneered by Alexander Cummings. This improved sanitation because the waste was removed to some other location and did not just sit there, smelling bad. It allowed for a new era of cleanliness in the world. -
Submarine
The submarine is a type of vehicle that can travel underwater. The first prototype was called the Turtle, an egg shaped that was powered by hand crank. The submarine as become prevalent in marine activities in the modern world, whether it is for warfare or exploration. -
Guillotine
The guillotine was invented by Joseph Ignace Guillotin. It was a way to kill people who had commited crimes or disobeyed the law. This was a uniques invention because it was a quick and painless death. This is significant because symbolized the violence during the French Revolution and The Reign of Terror -
Cotton Gin
The first Cotton Gin was patented in America by Eli Whitney. This technology greatly increased the efficiency of harvesting cotton. It allowed for America to create its own cotton industry and grow rapidly. On a darker note, it also increased the prevalence of slavery and inspired the image of the "South" in the 1800s -
Battery
Italian scientist Alessandro Volta invented batteries, which allowed electricity to be produced without use of water or hand power. This invention could also be used to supply power for many other things such as the electric telegraph. They continue to be used today in everyday life. -
Steam Locomotive
A steam locomotive is a locomotive that is powered by a steam engine. It was invented by George Stephenson. The train provided a very fast and efficient method of transportation and remained the main method of transport up until the 1960s, when planes became commercially popular. -
Typewriter
Invented by an American by the name of W.A. Burt. It was an invention that allowed the typing of words onto the paper instead of hand-writing. This is significant because overtime this invention evolved into a computer -
Sewing Machine
Barthelemy Thimonnier, a French tailor, invented a sewing machine with one thread and a hooked needle. This increased the production of sewing majorly. This replaced people who had to manually sew, they could now use this machine and work much faster and efficiently. -
Electric Telegraph
First electric telegraph was made in England by Charles Wheatstone and William Cooke. There were also many other improved versions that came out after this one. This device was used mainly by railroad station to communicate and increase saftey. By the 1840's it was prominent throughout America and Europe as being used as a source of communication. -
Bicycle
Kirkpatrick Macmillan, a Scottish man, invented a bicycle. This allowed for people to travel much quicker rather than by horse or foot. This invention spread radipdly throughout Europe and is a prototype for what bycicles look like today. -
Anesthesia
Anesthesia is a substance that puts patients to sleep so doctors can operate on them. It made it possible to perform large and long surgeries without extreme pain to the patient. It made even more advancements in medical techonlogy possible because doctors could now actually work on peoples' bodies without them being in extreme pain. -
Interchangeable parts
Due to the recent availability of cheap iron, guns and other hardware were widely produced. The idea of using interchangeable parts allowed for mass production of metal items and greater efficiency of factories. This system was introduced as the “American system of manufactures” and was a dominant characteristic of American industry. -
Elevator
An elevator is a is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors. It was invented by Sir William Armstrong. The elevator provided a more efficient method of vertical transport than stairs and were much quicker as well. They contributed to the construction of skyscrapers because it allowed people to get to the top without climbing countless flights of stairs -
Dynamite
Dynamite is an explosive that is created by harnessing nitroglycerin into a tube. It was invented by Alfred Nobel. Dynamite affected civil engineering because now architects could create larger foundations for their buildings quicker and this allowed for larger buildings. Skyscrapers can be indirectly attributed to the invention of dynamite -
Telephone
The first phone call was made from Alexander Graham Bell to his assistant. The phone provided a new means of communication that was marvellously efficient; it was faster than traditional letters and easire to understand than telegraph signals because it was normal talk, not some clicks. It allowed people to talk amongst each other effectively -
Electric Light
Electricity was pioneered by Thomas Edison in 1879. He used his inventions in a variety of ways; one being the light. The light brought brightness to the world, they were more effective than torches and could be used to light up entire buildings. The light was quite possibly the most significant invention of the 20th Century -
Machine Gun
The machine gun was a revolutionary type of weapon that fired as long as one held down the trigger as opposed to firing one round every time that the gun was fired. The first prototype was called the Maxim gun, invented by Hiran Maxim It allowed for armies to be cut down with ease, as it fired 600 bulletts per minute. The machine gun was an instrumental part of modern warfare. -
Radar
German physicist Heinrich Hertz invented the radar, which uses radio waves to determine different properties of certain objects, such as speed, direction, altitude, and range. It can be used to detect and track planes, ships, and automobiles. It is still used today especially by the military who use it to keep a look out for enemies.
