Inventions of the 1850s – 1900s Mr. Baril
1860: Light Bulb, Sir Joseph Swan What would life be like without the light bulb? How would life change because of it? What is needed for a light bulb to work in the home/workplace?
1860: Repeating rifle: Oliver F. Winchester Finally, a rifle you don’t have to load every shot. (Or from the muzzle) Revolutionized life in the Western USA. The Winchester was the first of many designs.
1861: Ironclad (Battleship) USS Monitor: John Ericsson
1862: Pasteurization: Louis Pasteur Kills harmful microbes in food. Extends the shelf-life of milk, cheese, other products. Many foods/drinks sold across state lines today have been pasteurized.
1863: Player piano: Henri Fourneaux
1865: Roller Coaster: LaMarcus Adna Thompson
1865: Barbed wire: Louis Jannin Allowed settlers in the West to contain their animals (and keep other animals out) on their ranches/lands. Over time, this revolutionized the way people lived in the West.
1866: Dynamite: Alfred Nobel Much more ‘controlled’ destructive power than gunpowder. Used for demolition of tunnels, mines, creation of roads and railroads. Also has military uses.
1868: Practical typewriter: Christopher Sholes, Carlos Glidden and Samuel W. Soule
1869: Vacuum cleaner: I.W. McGaffers
1870: Chewing gum: Thomas Adams
1873: Jeans: Levi Strauss
1876: Loudspeaker: Alexander Graham Bell
1877: Stapler: Henry R. Heyl
1877: Phonograph: Thomas Alva Edison
1877: Microphone: Emile Berliner
1877: Telephone: Alexander Graham Bell
1879: Cash register: James Ritty