How Did The Light Bulb Affect Society
On October 22, 1879, the lives of everyone around the world would be forever changed. Before the invention of the light bulb, people everywhere would have to resort to using candles or lanterns. Thomas Edison was not the first to invent the electric lightbulb but was, in fact, the first person to invent the first practical incandescent light. Several other people before Edison attempted a shot at making this invention but shortly after failed. Such other inventions had faults such as (extremely) short life, high expense, and high electric current drawn. Many people attempted but none like Edison, he attempted making the light bulb a whopping 1000 times! Crazy, right? He tried several different methods and several different ways of how to get
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this invention to work. He tried several ways of creating the carbon filament, he tried using things such as cotton and linen thread, wood splits, paper arranged in various different ways, platinum and other metals, he finally succeeded. Along with the making of the electric light came the making of power utilities, sound recording, and also motion pictures. To go along with his invention of the electric light, he made safety fuses and on / off switches.
Edison patented a system for electricity distribution in 1880, the year after making the light bulb. He later on formed the Edison Electric Illuminating Company in New York City in the year of 1882. Edison first showed off his new invention on December 31, 1879 in Menlo Park, California, it was this time when he said the quote “We will make electricity so cheap that only the rich will burn candles.” Henry Villard who, at the time, was president o`f Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company even went to this amazing display and found himself highly intrigued and impressed. Villard soon after insisted that Edison installed his new and improved electric light in his company’s new steamer The Columbia; Edison was not sure of this request at first, but eventually gave in. Edison and his Electric light company installed the lights in The Columbia, which marks this as the first application of his electric light bulb.
During Edison's early years, he only had a mere three months of official schooling, his teacher often found his mind wandering and him not paying very much attention, and his teacher was overheard calling Edison confused. After Edison dropped out, his mother schooled him at home. He developed a hearing disability at an early age. This disability was motivation to make his inventions.
Although it is said by many, Edison indeed, did not invent the very first light bulb. In fact, scientists were working on the invention before Thomas Edison was even born! Edison was the first person to invent the incandescent light that was practical. Edisons light burned longer than any of the earlier models that were made by other inventors. While other lights would only light for a few minutes before they would burn out to where Edisons would last for at least 13 hours which is a huge improvement! By 1887 there were 121 Edison power stations delivering (DC) electricity to customers. Edison started a “War of Currents” so that Alternating Currents would not come into play. Edison wanted to prove that Direct Current (DC) for electrical power was the way to go and that Alternating Currents (AC) were far more dangerous and that people should not use them. In an attempt to show everyone how dangerous AC was, Edison got involved in the development of the electric chair to show how AC had a bigger lethal potential than DC. As a part of the campaign against AC, Edison's employees publicly electrocuted stray or unwanted animals.
Though Thomas Edison, when younger, seemed like nothing worth while, he worked his hardest and came out at the end of the tunnel with a huge discovery.
The light bulb is only one of his many inventions, Edison alone held a great amount of US patents, 1,093, to be exact. The invention of the light bulb has evolved into much greater things and has helped us in several different ways. Take a look at flashlights, they may seem insignificant, but they have such a huge impact, without them, there would be an increase in the amounts of deaths in the tragic 9/11 event, without flashlights, we would not have been able to get under the loads of debris to find trapped victims and first responders. Also, look at headlight in our cars, without them, we would not be capable of driving at night, or at least it would not be safe. Even houses! I think that is one of the main reasons Edison invented the lightbulb was so people would not have to depend a very minimal amount of light to guide them through their house at night. Such a small thing has given us so much and we take it for granted. It is very little known that after Edison's invention, people still used gas lights or candles to light up their homes for about another 50 years afterward. By 1925, only half of America used electric light! It blows my mind how something that we use practically every day, was not necessary to have even almost 50 years after the invention. Thomas Edison and whomever the other scientists and inventors are that came up with this invention had a real winner. There are rumors said that Edison did not create the invention and that he hired Nikola Tesla. The reasoning of why this is found hard to believe is because it states that Edison hired Tesla to redesign his electrical generators. After Tesla did so, he charged Edison 50,000 dollars in which Edison told him he must not understand American humor and paid Tesla in middle fingers. If you put your mind to something, even if it is a confused,
wandering mind, anything is possible, even a major invention worth millions. Thomas Edison made so many great things possible for everyone around the world.
this invention to work. He tried several ways of creating the carbon filament, he tried using things such as cotton and linen thread, wood splits, paper arranged in various different ways, platinum and other metals, he finally succeeded. Along with the making of the electric light came the making of power utilities, sound recording, and also motion pictures. To go along with his invention of the electric light, he made safety fuses and on / off switches.
Edison patented a system for electricity distribution in 1880, the year after making the light bulb. He later on formed the Edison Electric Illuminating Company in New York City in the year of 1882. Edison first showed off his new invention on December 31, 1879 in Menlo Park, California, it was this time when he said the quote “We will make electricity so cheap that only the rich will burn candles.” Henry Villard who, at the time, was president o`f Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company even went to this amazing display and found himself highly intrigued and impressed. Villard soon after insisted that Edison installed his new and improved electric light in his company’s new steamer The Columbia; Edison was not sure of this request at first, but eventually gave in. Edison and his Electric light company installed the lights in The Columbia, which marks this as the first application of his electric light bulb.
During Edison's early years, he only had a mere three months of official schooling, his teacher often found his mind wandering and him not paying very much attention, and his teacher was overheard calling Edison confused. After Edison dropped out, his mother schooled him at home. He developed a hearing disability at an early age. This disability was motivation to make his inventions.
Although it is said by many, Edison indeed, did not invent the very first light bulb. In fact, scientists were working on the invention before Thomas Edison was even born! Edison was the first person to invent the incandescent light that was practical. Edisons light burned longer than any of the earlier models that were made by other inventors. While other lights would only light for a few minutes before they would burn out to where Edisons would last for at least 13 hours which is a huge improvement! By 1887 there were 121 Edison power stations delivering (DC) electricity to customers. Edison started a “War of Currents” so that Alternating Currents would not come into play. Edison wanted to prove that Direct Current (DC) for electrical power was the way to go and that Alternating Currents (AC) were far more dangerous and that people should not use them. In an attempt to show everyone how dangerous AC was, Edison got involved in the development of the electric chair to show how AC had a bigger lethal potential than DC. As a part of the campaign against AC, Edison's employees publicly electrocuted stray or unwanted animals.
Though Thomas Edison, when younger, seemed like nothing worth while, he worked his hardest and came out at the end of the tunnel with a huge discovery.
The light bulb is only one of his many inventions, Edison alone held a great amount of US patents, 1,093, to be exact. The invention of the light bulb has evolved into much greater things and has helped us in several different ways. Take a look at flashlights, they may seem insignificant, but they have such a huge impact, without them, there would be an increase in the amounts of deaths in the tragic 9/11 event, without flashlights, we would not have been able to get under the loads of debris to find trapped victims and first responders. Also, look at headlight in our cars, without them, we would not be capable of driving at night, or at least it would not be safe. Even houses! I think that is one of the main reasons Edison invented the lightbulb was so people would not have to depend a very minimal amount of light to guide them through their house at night. Such a small thing has given us so much and we take it for granted. It is very little known that after Edison's invention, people still used gas lights or candles to light up their homes for about another 50 years afterward. By 1925, only half of America used electric light! It blows my mind how something that we use practically every day, was not necessary to have even almost 50 years after the invention. Thomas Edison and whomever the other scientists and inventors are that came up with this invention had a real winner. There are rumors said that Edison did not create the invention and that he hired Nikola Tesla. The reasoning of why this is found hard to believe is because it states that Edison hired Tesla to redesign his electrical generators. After Tesla did so, he charged Edison 50,000 dollars in which Edison told him he must not understand American humor and paid Tesla in middle fingers. If you put your mind to something, even if it is a confused,
wandering mind, anything is possible, even a major invention worth millions. Thomas Edison made so many great things possible for everyone around the world.