I've been writing for many years and love to share my knowledge on various topics. Show
Things Invented in AmericaFrom the mundane to the truly spectacular, numerous American inventions have changed the world. Here is a list of 20 things invented by Americans that have become part of everyday lives here and around the world. Top 20 Famous American Inventions
Ben Konfrst 1. Ferris WheelsWho Invented Them?
When Were They Invented?Why Are They Significant?
A visit to a theme park or a carnival is never complete without a ride on a Ferris wheel. It is a popular attraction that features an upright rotating wheel with capsules for passengers and is named after George Washington Gale Ferris, who debuted the first Ferris wheel as the landmark of the Chicago World Fair on June 21, 1893. The Ferris wheel was the United States' answer to the French Eiffel Tower—one of many marvelous proposals intended to inspire wonder and awe in American hearts. Ferris spent thousands from his own pocket to ensure top-notch safety testing and engineering would produce the perfect wheel. The original wheel had 36 cars and was 250 feet in diameter. After the wheel's debut, Ferris faced multiple lawsuits and debts related to its construction. He died several years later, and the wheel was destroyed after his death. However, numerous reincarnations of the wheel have been fashioned, and they continue to be a staple of American theme parks and fairs to this day. John Dancy 2. Chocolate Chip CookiesWho Invented Them?
When Were They Invented?Where Are They Significant?
Since childhood, most of us have carved out a special place for delightful and delicious cookies. Most likely at the top of our list of favorites is the classic chocolate chip cookie. A tasty treat made from flour, butter, brown sugar, and semi-sweet chocolate bits, it was made by accident in 1930 by Ruth Graves Wakefield at the Toll House Inn, a restaurant she owned with her husband that served home cooking in Whitman, Massachusetts. In the famous story, Ruth ran out of the baker's chocolate she needed for her recipe, and instead substituted with a semi-sweet Nestle chocolate bar. Ruth predicted the chocolate bar would melt as the baker's chocolate did, but instead the morsels only softened, and the chocolate chip cookie was born. Ruth's chocolate chip cookies gained popularity, increasing the sales of Mr. Andrew Nestle's chocolate bars. She eventually sold him the recipe with the caveat that the Toll House chocolate chip cookie recipe be printed on the back of the Nestle chocolate bar package. Nestle still prints the recipe on their chocolate bars to this day. Daniel Frank 3. Dental FlossWho Invented It?
When Was It Invented?Why Is It Significant?
A vital part of the daily hygiene, flossing completes the brushing routine we use to take care of our pearly whites. Long before we had knowledge of dental plaque and bacteria, Levi Spear Parmly recognized the importance of removing foreign material on the teeth for preventing tooth decay. Dental floss was introduced in 1815 by Parmly, a dentist from New Orleans. It was originally made from silk, unlike today’s dental floss, which is made of nylon or plastic. Parmly had one of the most successful dental practices in the South and published several books intended to help laymen understand the importance of oral hygiene. Tomas Sobek 4. Clasp LockersWho Invented Them?
When Were They Invented?Why Are They Significant?
If you find buttons quite a fuss as you dress up for work, then you have Chicago-based inventor Whitcomb L. Judson to thank for inventing the clasp locker, the zipper’s predecessor, which was introduced in 1893. The first clasp locker design was used as a shoe fastener, which was thought to be an invention designed to simplify the complex process of buttoning the boots that were in fashion toward the end of the 19th century. Although Judson obtained many patents related to the clasp locker during his lifetime, he never truly saw the commercial success that the zipper would achieve. The modern design was made by Gideon Sundbäck, the head designer of the Universal Fastener Company launched by Judson, in 1913. Did You Know? The clasp locker and the Ferris wheel were introduced at the same Chicago World's Fair in 1893. rawpixel 5. Hearing AidsWho Invented Them?
When Were They Invented?Why Are They Significant?
The first electronic hearing aid was invented in 1902 by Miller Reese Hutchinson, an inventor from Alabama. Around 1895, Hutchison invented what he called the "akouphone," an electrical hearing aid. Although he wasn't a doctor, he did take classes at the Medical College of Alabama in order to gain a better understanding of the anatomy of the human ear. Hutchison developed an interest in the subject due to a childhood friend who was deaf. The original "akouphone" was quite bulky and impractical, and, in 1902, Hutchison invented another version called the "Acousticon." By 1905, he had relinquished the rights of his invention to Kelley Monroe Turner, who would continue to expand and improve the technology, and eventually apply it to other inventions. 6. Cardiac DefibrillatorsWho Invented Them?
When Were They Invented?Why Are They Significant?
"Clear!" We have become familiar with the hospital emergency room scene where a doctor holds defibrillator paddles to the chest of a patient while urgently motioning a nurse to hit the switch. Defibrillators deliver a large dose of electrical energy to a heart affected with arrhythmia, ventricular fibrillation, and tachycardia. William B. Kouwenhoven developed an academic interest in the relationship between electricity and medicine when, in the early 20th century, it became apparent that utility linemen suffered from ventricular fibrillation (rapid, unstable heartbeat) and nobody knew why. Between 1928 and 1947, Kouwenhoven and his research team at Johns Hopkins University studied the effects of electricity on the human body. In 1933, the team successfully prevented ventricular fibrillation in a dog's heart by jolting it with electricity. Defibrillators were first successfully used on humans by Dr. Claude Beck in 1947; they were initially used during open chest operations only. In 1957, Kouwenhoven and his team revealed their first prototype, and by 1961, they introduced the first portable defibrillator. Did You Know? Aside from his invention of cardiac defibrillators, William Kouwenhoven was also known as the "father of CPR" due to his development of the closed-chest cardiac massage technique. 7. Radiocarbon DatingWho Invented It?
When Was It Invented?Why Is It Significant?
The technique to determine the age of artifacts from archaeological expeditions is called radiocarbon dating (or carbon dating). This was developed by Willard Libby, who calculated the half-life of carbon-14 at the University of Chicago in 1949. Libby realized that this certain type of carbon (carbon-14) is incorporated into the bodies of living things and, when they die, the carbon decays at a predictable rate, which can be determined by a mathematical formula. This allows scientists to determine how long ago biological samples stopped collecting carbon-14, and, based on the rate of decay, approximately when they died. Tim Gouw 8. Traffic LightsWho Invented Them?When Were They Invented?Why Are They Significant?
Managing the traffic of pedestrians and vehicles at intersections would be nearly impossible without the help of the traffic light. The modern electric traffic light as we know it today was invented in 1912 by Lester Wire, a policeman from Salt Lake City. It was originally just red and green for stop and go, respectively. Prior to the invention of the traffic light, policemen were forced to direct traffic themselves. The traffic light wasn't automated until 1924, and until then had to be operated manually. An early version of the traffic light was introduced in London in 1868; however, it was declared a public health hazard after a police officer was badly injured while operating it, and the project was immediately stopped. Wire never patented the traffic light, and James Hoge is usually credited with its invention. Hoge received a patent for the first electric traffic signal in 1918. William Ghiglieri obtained the patent to the first traffic signal with red and green lights in 1917. Over the years, many inventors have patented newer, improved versions of the traffic light. However, Wire is generally believed to be the first American to invent the traffic light as we know it today. 9. Crash Test DummiesWho Invented Them?
When Were They Invented?Why Are They Significant?
The first crash test dummy was developed in 1949 by Samuel W. Alderson, an inventor from California. He graduated from high school at the age of 15, after which he attended several colleges and intermittently worked for his family's sheet-metal business. During World War II, he designed electric motors for missile guidance systems. He later worked for IBM, where he designed a motorized prosthetic arm. A pioneer in biomechanics, he eventually started his own company where he began to design the first crash test dummy. Information from research on animals and human cadavers was used to design the crash test dummy, introduced in 1949, which was initially used to test aviation safety. Today, descendants of these crash test dummies are used in a wide array of situations to simulate human body response. 10. Microwave OvensWho Invented Them?
When Were They Invented?Why Are They Significant?
Now a common kitchen appliance, the microwave oven has become the irreplaceable gadget for cooking, thawing, or reheating food, popping popcorn, and making stews. The microwave was not originally intended for kitchen use. In 1945, Percy Spencer, an engineer from Maine who was working on the magnetron for radar sets at Raytheon, discovered that the microwaves had unintentionally melted the chocolate bar in his pocket. While others had noticed the effects of the magnetron, they had been too afraid to further investigate its powers. However, Spencer soon began using it to heat up his lunch, and, in 1946, Raytheon patented "high frequency dielectric heating apparatus"—the first microwave. Did You Know? Percy Spencer only received $2.00 for inventing the microwave oven—the standard rate Raytheon paid its employees for their inventions at the time. He never received any royalties. 11. Assembly LinesWho Invented Them?
When Were They Invented?Cars, mobile phones, beauty products, processed food, and even jewelry have something in common—they are all manufactured through an assembly line. The assembly line is a systematic, sequential method of production of goods, which is cost effective since it lessens mistakes and hastens production time. In 1901, the basic concept was introduced by Ransom Olds through his motor vehicle company in Michigan. Olds is also widely recognized as the founder of the automobile industry in the United States, and one of his vehicles, the Curved Dash Oldsmobile, was the first car successfully mass-produced on an assembly line. But the assembly line that has left a lasting influence on the manufacturing world was that of the production of the Ford Model T by Henry Ford’s motor company in 1908. Initially, the assembly line was composed of workers, but it was later replaced with machines and, most recently, sophisticated robots. 12. LasersWho Invented Them?
When Were They Invented?Why Are They Significant?
Often associated with science fiction, a laser is an instrument that emits light that has been amplified through simulated emission. The word laser is actually an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. The concept of a laser was first proposed by Gordon Gould and was based on masers, which amplify microwaves. The first laser was built by Theodore H. Maiman at Hughes Research Laboratories in Malibu, California. While others doubted the ability of artificial rubies to act as the medium for lasers, Maiman questioned their calculations and successfully developed the first laser, using artificial rubies, in 1960. Today, the applications of the laser range from industrial, medical, and law enforcement to entertainment.
13. Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs)Who Invented Them?
When Were They Invented?Why Are They Significant?
In the current campaign for the use of green energy, the use of light-emitting diodes for lighting and image displays has increased because of the minimal energy it requires to produce light. The LED has come a long way from its initial use as an indicator light for electronic devices. It was developed in 1962 by Nick Holonyak, Jr., a consulting scientist at General Electric Company in Syracuse, New York. Holonyak's first LEDs were red due to the gallium arsenide phosphide used to make them. It wasn't until about a decade after their invention that LEDs were designed to be different colors. It is for this reason that many indicator lights on products were, and still are, red. Enrique Alarcon 14. Global Positioning System (GPS)Who Invented It?
When Was It Invented?
Why Is It Significant?
Techniques for finding one’s location on Earth have evolved throughout the centuries. The technology of today is the Global Positioning System, which uses the global navigation satellite system managed by the government of the United States to pinpoint locations on a map. This was developed in 1973 by the U.S. Department of Defense, but it only became fully operational in 1993. The technology developed from satellite navigation experiments that tracked U.S. submarines in the 1960s. With the help of satellites, submarines were able to detect changes in radio signal position based on the "Doppler effect." Although it was primarily intended for military use, it can be accessible by anybody with some limitations—for navigation, map making, clock synchronization, and other uses. 15. ChemotherapyWho Invented It?
When Was It Invented?Why Is It Significant?
Today, cancer and chemotherapy are sadly two commonly understood words. The use of chemotherapy for cancer treatment started in the 1940s when two pharmacologists from Yale University, Louis S. Goodman and Alfred Gilman, made observations that nitrogen mustard, a chemical warfare agent, suppressed the growth of lymphoid and myeloid cells. The pair began to research the effects of using mustard agents in treating lymphoma, first experimenting on mice, then injecting nitrogen mustard into a patient with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. They discovered that, although the patient had to return for repeat injections, the tumor masses were significantly reduced from the treatment. The results of their initial research were published in 1946. Their study sparked an interest in the subject for other scientists, and, after World War II, further research uncovered the benefits of folic acid in treating cancer. Since then, researchers have honed in on more advanced combination chemotherapy techniques, and countless lives have been saved. Since the 1990s, cancer mortality rates have been steadily declining. 16. Video GamesWho Invented Them?
When Were They Invented?Why Are They Significant?
Aside from social networking, the most popular computer-based pastime is video gaming. A video game allows interaction between a user and a device with video feedback. The first video game was actually an analog electronic game using a cathode ray tube. Called the "cathode-ray tube amusement device," it was created by Thomas T. Goldsmith, Jr. and Estle Ray Mann in 1948. Cathode-ray tubes were a ubiquitous element of life in the 20th century and were essentially the element that facilitated the electron beams that allowed images to appear on television screens. Since the 21st century, however, electronics manufacturers have moved toward LCD and plasma screens. Goldsmith and Mann's game was inspired by World War II radar displays. Players would control a missile on the screen to hit a target. The target would be, for example, a picture of a plane physically taped to the screen. The controls for reaching the target were similar to that of an Etch-a-Sketch. Although the game was non-programmable and not very advanced, due to its high production cost, it was never released to the public and only handmade prototypes were created. However, the duo's legacy has contributed to the development of Atari, Nintendo, PlayStation, and other gaming consoles, aiding in the proliferation of a massive worldwide industry that continues to grow. geralt 17. EmailWho Invented It?
When Was It Invented?Why Is It Significant?
Email became popular at the onset of the 21st century. It has become the preferred form of communication because it enables quick relay of messages and, at the same time, saves resources like ink and paper. The first email was sent in 1971 between two computer terminals placed side by side by Ray Tomlinson, using ARPANET. Ray Tomlinson, a programmer from New York, is also credited for using the at (@) sign to separate the user’s name and the user’s machine (the latter changed to the domain name later).
18. Mobile PhonesWho Invented Them?
When Were They Invented?Why Are They Significant?
At first, the mobile phone was tailored for busy professionals—people who were always on the go. But it has become commonplace and almost a necessity for everyone in contemporary society. The first handheld mobile phone was developed by a team headed by Dr. Martin Cooper. Dr. Cooper was formerly the vice president of Motorola. He was the division head when he showcased the first mobile phone in 1973. It weighed in at nearly four-and-a-half pounds. Since Dr. Cooper's invention, mobile phones have taken off. Nearly everyone in the United States has a cell phone, and today, many of those are smartphones. Did You Know? Dr. Cooper's first call on the first mobile phone was to his main competitor at Bell Labs—he wanted to let him know that Motorola had beaten them to become the first company to design a successful mobile phone. Fancycrave 19. Personal ComputersWho Invented Them?
When Were They Invented?Why Are They Significant?
The development of the computer spans centuries, but widespread use of computers only came with the invention of the personal computer in the 1970s. John Blankenbaker sold the first personal computer, the Kenbak-1, in 1971 for a value equivalent to nearly $4,500 in today's currency. Blankenbaker designed the device in his Brentwood, California home after losing his job. While his original design lacked sophisticated input-output or large memory capacity, it is considered to be the first commercially available personal computer and predated Apple I by five years. Markus Spiske 20. The InternetWho Invented It?
When Was It Invented?Why Is It Significant?
It is a common belief that humans have always been interconnected, but nothing confirms this better than seeing how much the internet connects humans in the 21st-century. The first workable internet prototype was ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network) in the 1960s, which allowed multiple computers to communicate on a single network. In the 1970s, scientists developed TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol), which established standards for data transmittal among multiple networks. A network of networks, the internet was formally introduced with the Internet Protocol Suite of the National Science Foundation in 1983, which was funded by the U.S. government. By 1990, the World Wide Web was established. It was not the same as the internet, serving merely as a means to access data online through websites and hyperlinks. However, this laid the framework for the popularization of the internet among the public, which helped to establish its continued monumental significance in today's world. The Most Important OneIndeed, the internet tops this list of inventions because it has created a means for the other inventions and related technology to become such ubiquitous and well-known tools for humankind. There are countless other impactful inventions (by non-Americans as well as Americans, of course) that have not been mentioned here, but these 20 stand out. Something to add to the list? Feel free to comment! Thanks. Works Cited
Dimika on May 11, 2020: Traffic lights were invented in America but show credit to the first which was Garrett Morgan not Lester Wire Scott Parker on May 06, 2020: Most of these are wrong. Not invented by Americans. logan on April 10, 2020: awesome Sofi on December 03, 2019: Cool Terry Reubien on October 28, 2019: britain is a total failure. where's its world empire gone. seems like it couldnt cope & lost it......forever. they dont even like each other. sarcastic "no it alls" rude sensitive & insecure & overly deffensive losers isa on October 25, 2019: it was really useful for my homework cori on October 23, 2019: wow never new bruh on October 15, 2019: how about the light bulb Brian on March 21, 2019: No atomic bomb on here? Gary on February 22, 2019: The British are really creepy. They like to take credit for a lot of inventions. Even if they lie and exaggerate. What a pathetic people. If it weren't for the American inventions life in fagland would be unbearable. What a shameful and smelly people. They're disgusting. gary on February 18, 2019: The British live in the past because they have no future. They lie and expand their role there because they can't live with the truth. You might feel sorry for them but it's what they deserve. Dump them in the past like trash. THE ROOTWIRE on February 17, 2019: that is nice article Me on January 08, 2019: You need to do better research. The World Wide Web was invented by Englishman sir Tim Berners- Lee.. jet engine? Another Englishman , the light bulb? Another Englishman Joseph swan 1878 not Edison.. by the way Edison was a thief.. the stuff he nicked off Tesla with the backing of J P Morgan.. please don’t twist history Thomas power on December 30, 2018: That list is bullshit, you need to do some research mate. Good to See you on December 11, 2018: The mobile phone and the Traffic light isnt from the USA they are from Germany is me on November 07, 2018: it is ok mike s on October 06, 2018: How can you make this list and forget the automobile and the airplane?... colton white on September 06, 2018: most of them are very cool. Cesar Arizpe on August 30, 2018: I can't believe you didn't add Toilet Paper to the top 10 list... everytime that soft tissue paper touches your bottom lift up your eyes and say God Bless America. Watch your back on August 24, 2018: 5 great things America gave to the universe: The bush clan At least 3 world depressions Donald chump Mcdonalds Happy on August 10, 2018: This is AWESOME pen pineapple apple pen on July 12, 2018: 10 more? please me on May 22, 2018: to other people the internet was invented in the us the world wide web was in the uk they are both different things I Like Trains on May 10, 2018: some of these did seem interesting but boring at the same time but i found out a lot of things i never thought of looking at. YO MAMA on May 08, 2018: Some of these were not really important Real on April 30, 2018: Wow... Nice text but some things are wrong: The Internet was invented by Tim-Berner Lee (UK). The Computer was invented by Konrad Zuse (Z3). BUT you got one thing right: You didn't mentioned the "light bulb" which was invented by the UK. Yo on April 22, 2018: This list was very well thought out! Thank you! colt on March 19, 2018: I love microwave wave oven they are very useful it can cook toast bagels and even more so you don't need a microwave or toaster bethany on March 05, 2018: where is the light bulb? ah duh! these aren't even the best and certainly not the most important inventions of the US. WHAT THE HECK!!!!!!!!!! moataz on February 27, 2018: This is great I enjoyed it so much Billybobbins4972 on February 12, 2018: America's greatest contribution to the universe? The banjo, surely? Although most Americans seem to be so full of national pride, I'm sure they think they invented everything. landon 1133 on February 07, 2018: very very very very helpful chris on January 25, 2018: what about the national park system? An idea adopted around the globe that is still alive and well today. Nathan H on November 21, 2017: Dear author I have to disagree with you on a few of them. Where is the telephone? Light Bulb? And poo you are soooooo funny NOT au on November 08, 2017: there were multiple inventors for the world wide web ppl Bob on August 23, 2017: microwave for the win of people that don't have a wife dr Harris on July 20, 2017: A lot of people; not all of them laymen; wrongly assume that particular individuals INVENTED Electric Lights, Radio, Television, Computers, Record Players, Tape recorders, hovercraft, aircraft, helicopters and of course; JET ENGINES. This is a fundamental misunderstanding of how science, and its application to engineer useful products, actually works. Misplaced national pride often lead people to use the royal WE when claiming superiority of their own race or country based on the assertion that We have superior intelligence or natural flair and originality than other peoples or parts of the World as attested by these erroneous claims to fame. The breakthroughs often came as a result of advances in available materials. Much of the mathematical modelling required for Holography was laying in wait for a sufficiently pure and collimated beam of light; the laser unlocked the door. Kings ransoms have been thrown at projects that have extended the aims of an application beyond the limitations of the available materials; early exploding boilers, later exploding Comet aircraft; Concorde sitting at the extremes of what could be done and well beyond what should have been done. Man going to the Moon. Purely as a particular example to demonstrate the point, is the published history of ideas that led any number of people around the World to correctly predict and even try to realise motive thrust using known thermodynamics combined with compression and expansion using fans and turbines. (Jet Engines) it is a long list. tia on July 14, 2017: well done Pip on June 29, 2017: There is nothing wrong with being patriotic but you shouldn't twist history to suit your needs. Both the computer (Charles Babbage (mechanical) and later Alan Turing (electronic)) and the internet (www, Tim Berners-Lee) are UK inventions as were the telephone, jet engine etc. maria prendi on May 25, 2017: very interesting Ben on April 19, 2017: Hahhahahahha, the internet is british, big up Tim Bernards Lee Haniho on April 02, 2017: Add Tesla Model S Angel on November 09, 2016: Very interesting but what happened with the wheel and the lightbulb Har on October 28, 2016: true these inventions are cool hmmm on September 22, 2016: this was a very useful site thank you :) MLG goldenfreddy on September 20, 2016: thanks for site its really helpful MichaelK on September 19, 2016: I think this website was very useful thank you creators! Mike on January 19, 2016: Your statement the the US invented "the internet" is misleading. The internet (proper) is simply the networking and protocols that allow computers to communicate. It is the "plumbing" if you like. However what most people think of as the internet these days is in fact the "world wide web" i.e. websites, streaming of data, online shopping etc.- and that was invented by an Englishman, Tim Berners-Lee. Larry Rankin from Oklahoma on August 27, 2015: Very interesting and well thought out list. Larry Wall on June 18, 2015: You put together a very good list. I was wondering if contact lenses were an American invention. I have to wear regular glasses, but most people prefer contacts, I think. B Lucy from Podunk, Virginia on August 31, 2014: Thoroughly enjoyed reading this hub!! idigwebsites from United States on May 22, 2013: Few of these inventions came from accidental discoveries, which is really interesting. Really awesome. You gotta love the nerds, so don't bully them at school. One day they will invent something that will make our lives better. Thanks for posting! Up and awesome. :) Rich from New Jersey on February 07, 2013: nice hub. bailey on January 11, 2013: awesome bjornv on April 24, 2012: This was cool to read it teached me much. thanks Jameshank (author) from Japan, NY, California on January 31, 2012: I'm glad you enjoyed reading. Thanks for dropping by! James A Watkins from Chicago on January 30, 2012: I love this Hub! Your list is fantastic! I enjoyed this thoroughly. Well done! Jameshank (author) from Japan, NY, California on January 27, 2012: Thanks tillsontitan for also taking the time to read this hub on inventions! I'm also grateful for the vote up... Mary Craig from New York on January 27, 2012: Very interesting inventions for you to choose. You have skimmed the surface with some very important inventions with just the right mix of whimsical. Nicely written with a brief introduction to each invention keeping the hub flowing, especially for the non-technical of us. Voted up. |