Wizard of Menlo Park By Diana V. Background • Thomas Edison grew up in Milan, Ohio. • Throughout his life he had hearing problems • At school he was thought of as stupid • He dropped out of school but continued to learn Character Traits Thomas Edison was... • curious • intelligent • an avid reader • an investigator • determined • diligent How Thomas Edison Made His Money • When Thomas Edison was 14 he created a newspaper called The Weekly Herald • Another way he made money was by being a skilled telegrapher • Created the Edison Portland Cement Company • Built the first movie studio “Black Maria” along with William Kennedy Laurie Pickson A List of Some Inventions/Improvements Made by Thomas Edison • • • • • • • • Designed fire alarms incandescent lightbulbs phonograph improved the telephone silent films movies with sound alkaline battery Quadraplex Telegraph How Thomas Edison Used His Money • To buy more materials for his laboratories • Bought land in Menlo Park, NJ in 1875 • Used this land to build his home and the first Research and Development Laboratory • Built a bigger laboratory in West Orange, NJ Extra Facts About Thomas Edison • Thomas Edison was the first inventor to be honored in the National Inventors Hall of Fame • Thomas Edison discovered high-frequency electromagnetic waves • Invented a vote counting machine but no one wanted to use it • Holds a record of the most patents:1,093 patents Quotes From Thomas Edison •“To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.” •“There is always a way to do it better... find it.’ •“To have a great idea, have a lot of them.” More Quotes From Thomas Edison • “If we all did the things we are capable of doing we would literally astound ourselves.” • ‘”Success is one percent inspiration; ninety-nine percent perspiration.” Thomas Edison/Bill Gates Compare and Contrast •Both invented a product that most people use everyday •Both started their own business early •Bill Gates had a main partner, Paul Allen who helped him •Thomas Edison had a team but not one significant partner To sum it all up, Thomas Edison was an amazing person that all people should appreciate because he invented many products that we would have a hard time living without.