Devany Serrano, Kris Barraza, Christian Tovar, Matt Vasquez
Innovation and American Inventiveness
Throughout the ages multiple discoveries impacted the American civilization in ways that are
inexplicable to the mentality of any gender, race and ethnicity. Why this is so, is that the
diversity within the United States that we call the “American race”, helped cultivated great
technological advances, develop astronomical wonders in exploring the universe, proven
multiple breakthroughs in medicine and established one of the greatest economies that continues
to strive.
Within the 1600s there are not many advances that are made, for the reason that during
this colonial take over the only priority that was occurring in multiple mind-sets was to survive.
However, the creation of wind powered ships helped develop the exploration of multiple
undiscoverable continents and also led to the finding of multiple English settlements in the North
American continent, such as Jamestown. As the century caries on with few inventions, the
1700s would prove to be the start of a new civilization that would emerge from the unpopulated
corners of the major colonies.
 Wind powered ships: originated in the 9th century but became more advanced from
Spaniard and British decent within the early 16th and 17th hundreds.
 Jamestown: 1607 the first permanent English settlement within the North American
Continent.
In the 1700s the idealistic mentality of Eli Whitney helped reform the industrial setting of
the colonies. The establishment of the cotton gin changed the production of a valuable resource
that would impact other Nations economies and would also lead to more plantations purchasing
more slaves. Furthermore the creation of interchangeable parts also transformed the national
understanding of machinery by helping farmers or any labor force to not replace an entire tool if
it was broken, and just switch out the piece that was unable to function anymore. In continuation,
after the 1700s a new country would emerge and with that, new creations would set up the
foundation of unique devices.
 Cotton Gin: Created by Eli Whitney in 1794, was used to separate the cotton plant from
the seeds
 Interchangeable Parts: Created by Eli Whitney in 1798, was to be more accessible to any
device (first associated with weapons) helped established assembly lines
The imprint that the 1800s had left were inventions that were open to interpretation, in
simpler terms, the creations could always require improvement and higher efficiency. During this
time-frame though, the greatest contributions consisted of the typewriter, photography, the
telegraph and the telephone. To elaborate the typewriter contributed to the daily life of most
“white collar” professionals such as lawyer and politicians, this also made life easier in away, for
the reason that documents didn’t require to be handwritten. Photography though, helped depict
the tragic occurrences and the daily life of multiple individuals during the Civil War. Moreover
the creation of the telegraph implemented communication that was quicker than the usual
manual way. In addition, it also was aided the North in defeating the Confederate Army.
Although the telephone was one of the ending inventions of the 19th century, it impacted just the
same as the previous devices listed, for the reason that it made contact between states more
rapidly than the telegraph. In summation of this era, the 20th century’s events would challenge
the 19th century mentality, such as the situations in both World Wars.
 Typewriter: created in 1829, transformed the transcription of multiple important
documents.
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Photograph: Created in 1841, had been theorized for many centuries before it was
patented to develop negatives of a photograph in a matter of seconds.
Telegraph: was created in 1835 by Samuel B. Mores, was to provide a quick way of
communication.
Telephone: was created in 1786 by Alexander Graham Bell, developed communication
with the spoken word that transcended through the states.
During the beginning of the 20th century multiple remarks could be made towards the
lack of knowledge of the American population when coming out of the 1800s. However, the
progression of the 1900s would lead to unthinkable contraptions such as, the radio, gas motor,
airplanes, gas mask, buying on credit, billboards and the atomic bomb. In depth the creation of
the radio in 1901 set up an informative way of life throughout the country, because it provided
direct contact on important information at the time (the Great Depression, and situations within
both World Wars). The Wright Brothers construction of the first gas motor and airplane was a
major breakthrough at this time as-well, because the world would soon affiliate and aid global
powers during ginormous wars that would impact the country, but the founding of these
aerodynamic advances would lead to the creation of the first automobile in 1911. To elaborate
on this way of transportation, the automobile was mostly aimed at the wealthier class and seen as
a luxury item. However, at the half way mark of the century, the automobile would be targeted at
all families, despite their financial status. Billboards and credit also played into the
advancement of domestic products that the United States was going through. Why this is, is that
publication of multiple household items encouraged families to act on the new gadgets that had
come up. Credit conjoined with these, for the reason that these items could be attainable at that
moment and did not require saving or sacrificing. When reaching the half way mark of the
1900s, the atomic bomb could be seen as the greatest contribution that man has created. But this
creation in multiple eyes at the time was portrayed as a decision that the United States did not
make and is seen as the Japanese answer towards their stand on the war.
 Radio: developed in 1901, set up broadcastings over important information within the
country
 Gas Motor and Airplane: created by the Wright Brothers in 1903, helped set the
foundation for the automobile
 Automobile: was a type of transportation helped create other motor lines such as Ford
 Billboards: popped up in the 1920s, contributed to the retail of multiple domestic
products (refrigerator and automobiles)
 Credit: established in 1920, helped aid families by purchasing luxurious items that could
not be attainable all at once.
 Atomic Bomb: bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
During the 20th century, there are many inventions that contributed to American society
such as Interstate Highway Systems, NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration),
Personnel computers, and the Television. Automobiles once again rolled off the assembly lines
of the Big Three: Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler. The Interstate Highway Act authorized
the construction of thousands of miles of high-speed roads that made living farther from work a
possibility. Many inner cities in the 1950s were full of slums: shacks with no running water,
outhouses out back, high crime rates, frequent epidemics and low life expectancy rates. Building
the Interstate through these neighborhoods was seen as a win-win situation – eliminating urban
blight, providing access to growing suburban areas, providing high-paying jobs, and developing
blighted areas for more productive use. However, building interstates through these
neighborhoods was the equivalent of erecting a Berlin Wall. Wide swaths of low-income and
minority neighborhoods were leveled, displacing one million people at the cost of creating new
transportation routes. The Interstate changed the nature of cities by superimposing expressways,
inner loops, by-passes, throughways and cloverleafs over the existing city grids. Views,
landmarks and waterfronts were obliterated, isolated or cut off. Quick, efficient transportation
overtook aesthetics while commercial activity shifted from the town center to exit ramps. Since
the end of World War II, the United States had worked to make breakthroughs in rocket science.
This particular legislation expanded the original National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
(NACA) into NASA. NASA research, which was generously funded by Eisenhower's
successors, John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon, was responsible for successful and
groundbreaking American achievements such as the Apollo 11 lunar landing in 1969 and the
development of the space shuttle, first launched in 1981. More recently, NASA has sent robotic
exploration missions to Mars and launched a spacecraft to view Pluto. NASA's research has also
contributed to advances in consumer-oriented goods such as telecommunications satellites and
computer technology. Television in the 60s was unique compared to what it is today. TV only
had 3 channels ABC, CBS, and NBC. Americans received TV reception either through a pair of
rabbit ears antenna located on top of the TV or an aerial antenna attached to our homes or on the
roof. No one had an idea what cable TV was or what its impact would be later.