Lori Mortensen - Thomas Edison: Inventor, Scientist, and Genius

Thomas Edison (18471931) was an American inventor. His most famous inventions were the electric light bulb, the camera.

Edison wasnt just an inventor. He was also a businessman. He wanted to invent things that people would buy, so that he would make money. If Edison saw a good idea, he would work hard to make it even better.

Edison famously said that genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.

The 19th century was a time of great change in the United States. Millions of people were moving there from other countries to start a new life. New were appearing in the northeast, while railroads were being built across the country. This meant that people could travel west, too.

Edisons first job was on the railroads. In this picture, railroad workers are joining the Central Pacific Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad at Promontory Summit, Utah, in 1869.

Thomas Alva Edison was born on February 11, 1847, in Milan, Ohio. Alas his familynicknamed himwas the youngest of seven children.

When Thomas was about eight, he went to school. His teacher could not keep up withhis questions, so he left after just three months. From then on, Thomass mothertaught him at home. He was always very grateful to his mother for spending so muchtime teaching him. He wanted to make her proud.

Thomas was a lively, curious boy who asked lots of questions about how things worked.

Thomass favorite subject was science. He loved it so much that he built a for his own experiments.

Thomas was eager to start earning money, and by the age of 12 he had a job. He soldsnacks cand and newspapers on the Grand Trunk railroad line. Soon, he was printinghis own weekly newspaperthe Grand Trunk Herald and selling that, too.

Steam locomotives carried passengers along the Grand Trunk Railroad in Canada and the United States. Thomas worked on the trains that ran between Port Huron and Detroit, in Michigan.

In 1862, Thomas saved the life of a little boy who had strayed onto a railroad trackand his own life changed forever. The boys father was a operator. He was so grateful to Thomas that he taught him how to use a telegraph machine. Now, Thomas could get a job as a telegraph operator!

By the 1860s, telegraphy had become way of sending messages around the world. Telegraphmachines, like this one designed by Samuel Morse, sent messages along a wire usingelectrical signals. The first long-distance telephone call did not happen until 1915.

Edison traveled around the United States for years working as a telegraph operator.But he was . He spent his spare time experimenting with new ideas. He lovedinventing and hoped that one of his inventions would make his fortune.

Edison sometimes worked night shifts. When he wasnt busy, he could perform experiments.

In 1869, Edison his first invention: the electric vote recorder. This machine was designed to save time during elections. Instead of people counting the votes by hand, the machine would do all the hard work. But sales were poor, and Edison was disappointed. He decided that from now he would not waste time inventing things that people would not want to buy.

A patent is a , the government gives. It is proof that a person came up with an idea or invention. Other people are not allowed to copy the idea, unless they pay a fee to the person who holds the patent.

Edisons vote recorder meant that voters did not have to fill out ballotsthey simply moved a switch on the .