Thomas Edison patented 1,093 of his inventions, which transformed the United States into an enormous and influential industrial power. He is the driving force behind major inventions like the phonograph, akaline storage batteries, the carbon transmitter, the incandescent light bulb, and the Kinetograph. The first motion picture, shot by the Kinetograph, not only changed entertainment for decades to come, but also created a democracy with opportunities for every person in the social class to experience world-class entertainment. This essay will take a closer look at Edison’s revolutionary inventions and interpret their place in our history. Edison, the …show more content…
He gathered a group of technicians and scientists who applied their knowledge to his ideas and created an affordable and extremely beneficial electric light bulb. This successful invention started off as a household appliance, but eventually led an entire society to become more awake. Thomas Edison’s light bulb became a worldwide standard because “it was cheap, safe and just powerful enough to be comfortable. The lightbulb's beauty was its small capacity. It wasn't bright enough to reach cows a few miles away, but it had an even, steady glow that could illuminate a living room full of guests.” Sunsets began to mark the beginning of a social life and got rid of the fear that was associated with night. Businesses began to work well at 8 in the afternoon just as well as it would at 8 in the morning, employers added overnight shifts, and manufacturers saw that they could maximize their …show more content…
But Edison didn’t stop inventing. He reinvented the night once again. He sought to make "an instrument that does for the eye what the phonograph does for the ear." He had the idea of connecting a zoetrope, a machine that gathered series of photographs and made the images seem like they were moving, and the phonograph. In time, he succeeded in making the Kinetograph, one of the first motion picture cameras, along with William K.L. Dickson. Edison created a contemporary and thrilling new experience that didn’t include live perfomances. People started to see “performances of boxers and orchestras that were recorded, creating a democratic world of celebrity where everyone with a nickel could see or hear world-class entertainment. The best performers in the world were taken out of exhibition halls and available in the living