Thomas Edison
By: Katie Wasiak
Quote
There's a way to do it better - find it. -Thomas Edison
Early Life
On Feburary 11th 1847 the great Thomas Alva Edison was born. He was born in Milan, Ohio. He was the last of seven other children. In his early years he had scarlet fever and ear infections in both ears, leaving him almost deaf in both ears. He told people that he lost some of his hearing due to a train accident. In 1854 the Edison family picked up and moved to Port Huron, Michigan. There Thomas attended his first school for a total of twelve weeks. His teacher said that he was "difficult" to work with. His mother than pulled him from school and thought him from home. When Thomas hit the age of eleven he craved more knowledge, he began to read books for many different subjects.
Accomplishments
One of Thomas Edison's most famous inventions was the lightbulb. His first lightbulb lasted only about 40 hours, but with some improvements and changes his second lightbulb last 225 hours! Thomas Edison has 2,332 patents world wide, and 1,093 in the United States. Another one of his famous inventions is a movie camera, this was invented in 1893. Thomas also invented the first carbon microphone, this is a type of microphone that covers sound into an audio signal. Thomas Edison invented the phonograph in 1877, this is a sound producing machine that uses cylinders to record as well as produce sound. In 1891 Thomas worked with Dickson with designing a motion picture, they called it a kinetograph. This was introduced to the public on May 20th, 1891.
Early Career
At the age of twelve Thomas set out to put the little knowledge that he had to the test. He knew that he wanted to be an inventor, so he convinced his parents to let him sell newspapers along the railroad line. A few short years later, Thomas created his own newspaper called the Grand Trunk Herald. He again sold these to raise money for supplies and space. He used his access to railroads to conduct chemical experiments. During one of his experiments there was a chemical fire and a car caught on fire, panicking he was on the railroad, and out of no where a train car comes and hits him in the temple and causes more hearing loss.
After saving a child, the child's father taught Edison how to use a telegraph. By age 15 he had learned enough to become a telegraph operator. In 1866 Edison moved to Louisville Kentucky where he started his first job as a telegraph operatior
Memorial
The Thomas A. Edison Memorial Tower was designed in 1937 by Gabriel Fracois Massena. This is located in Edison New Jersey.
My Reaction
I Believe that Thomas Edison was an exceptional human being because not only did he invest so many things he got, so many patents that he still has the world record for most patents owned by one person! His memorial represents what we can do as americans to change the world.
Works Cited
Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 04 June 2015.
"Thomas A. Edison Quote." BrainyQuote. Xplore, n.d. Web. 04 June 2015.
"Loading ...." Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park & Edison Memorial Tower. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 June 2015.
"Thomas Edison." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 07 June 2015.