Pioneers
What is a pioneer?
A person who goes into unclaimed territory/unknown to settle. Someone who opens up new areas of thought, development, and thought
What is an innovator?
A person who introduces or creates something new
What is a developer?
Someone who develops something and takes it further
Who were the first pioneers in America?
Captain Lewis and Clark were the first to venture into the US territory, West of St. Louis. This was because of the Louisiana Purchase. Their goal as per President Jefferson’s letter was to gain observations and gain knowledge about the landscape, wildlife, and culture of the Missouri River and areas around it.
The trip was nearly 6400 km and took almost 2 and a half years. On 14th May 1804, the expedition left Mississippi at St Louis. They traveled up the Missouri River to its headwaters. They hired Indian guides and horses to travel 480 km over mountains and to the headwaters of the Clearwater River.
Thomas Edison:
He is one of the most important and famous innovators of the 19th century. He obtained over 1200 patents worldwide and 1093 patents in the US. For his inventions, he used large-scale teamwork and mass production. His lab in New Jersey, produced a minor invention every 10 days and a major invention every 6 months.
He created many inventions including the phonograph, which could record the sound of someone’s voice and play it back, the telegraph, the telephone, the light bulb, and power stations. Other inventions include a motion the picture camera and universal stock printer.
Josephine Cochrane:
She is an innovator of the 19th century who created the first dishwasher. Cochrane threw a lot of parties and her servants had to wash dishes but were fed up with china getting chipped. So she invented the dishwasher to do the cleaning for her. But, the first men who got to design the dishwasher didn’t follow her instructions. However, finally George Butters helped her in creating her original idea. Then, in December 1886, she received her patent.
Unlike what she intended, many hotels, hospitals, and other businesses used her invention rather than housewives. Moreover, due to Josephine being a woman, she faced many challenges as a female inventor.