Alexander Graham Bell A Great Inventor

Introduction §Many forces helped shaped the genius of Alexander Graham Bell. As the son and grandson of speech experts, he had unique knowledge of the possibilities of sound. As the son of a deaf mother, he had a true appreciation of the effort required to live in a hearing world. These two factors helped set Bell on the road to the telephone.

The Early Years §On March 3, 1847 Alexander Bell was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. §May 21, 1868 Bell begins teaching speech to the deaf at Susanna Hull’s school for deaf children in London.

The 1870’s §1870 Bell and his family emigrate to Canada and settle in Brantford, Ontario. §1872 Bell opens his School Vocal Physiology and begins experimenting with the multiple telegraph.

Bell’s Family Life §On July 11, 1877 Bell and Mabel Hubbard are married. §On May 8, 1878 daughter Elsie May Bell is born. §On February 15, 1880 daughter Marion (Daisy) Bell is born. §In 1881 Bell’s son Edward is born, but dies in infancy. In 1883 Bell’s son Robert also dies in infancy.

Bell’s Inventions §After inventing the telephone, Bell continued his experiments in communication, which culminated in the invention of the photophone- transmission of sound on a beam of light-a precursor of today’s optical fiber systems. He also worked in medical research and invented techniques for teaching speech to the deaf. In 1888 Bell founded the National Geographic Society.

The Early Telephone §1874 Bell first conceives the idea for the telephone. Bell meets Thomas Watson, a young electrician who would become his assistant.

Bell’s Telephone §On March 6, 1876 United States Patent No. 174,465 is officially issued for Bell’s telephone. §On March 10, intelligible speech is heard for the first time when Bell calls to Watson, “Mr. Watson-- Come here--I want to see you.”

Bell’s Silver Dart §Glenn Curtiss, Thomas Selfridge, Casey Baldwin, J.A.D. McCurdy, and Bell form the Aerial Experiment Association (AEA). §The AEA’S Silver Dart makes the first flight of a heavier-than-air machine in Canada.

The Later Years §Bell spent the last decade of his life improving hydrofoil designs, and in 1919 he and Casey Baldwin built a hydrofoil that set a world water-speed record that was not broken until 1963.

Beinn Bhreagh §In the summer of 1886 Bell begins buying land in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. §On August 2, 1922 Bell dies and is buried here.On January 3, 1923 Mabel dies and is buried beside him.

Alexander Graham Bell Museum §Provides a center for the commemoration and interpretation of Bell and his associates. §Functions as a center for the study of Bell’s scientific and humanitarian work. §A variety of services and resources are available to the public.

For More Information: Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site P.O. Box 159 Baddeck, Nova Scotia B0E 1B0 Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site P.O. Box 159 Baddeck, Nova Scotia B0E 1B0

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