How did Thomas Edison change history?

Question: How did Thomas Edison change history!?
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Edison gave us:

The Electric LIGHT bulb & Electric generators (although it is widely disputed that he was the inventor!. Many claim it was only an improvement on an earlier invention)
Movies (His ‘Black Maria’ in West Orange, NJ was the first movie studio)
MUSIC – the phonograph (although Edison originally saw its greatest potential use as a business tool in offices, not for music / entertainment)

These are his “BIG THREE’ and yes, they changed history by giving us light to read by and ultimately to light our cities, roads and homes!. Movies and the phonograph gave the American public two choices in entertainment!. Prior to this, only books and stage productions provided the greatest forms of entertainment!. With the advent of movies and the phonograph, these two industries grew rapidly creating singing, recording and performing artists, to say nothing of the masses of people who worked behind the scenes in these new industries!.

Having said all of this, I don’t want to disparage the man, but Hollywood falsely put Edison on a pedestal!. Was he an inventor!? Yes!. Did he really invent all of those 1,093 inventions he is credited with!? NO!

Edison was considered one of the most prolific inventors of his time, holding a record 1,093 patents in his name!. One must read between the lines, however!. While it is true that Edison held the 1,093 patents, many of the underlying inventions themselves were not his!. He had many scientists and engineers on staff at his laboratories in Menlo Park and subsequently in West Orange, NJ!. It was these employees who also had a direct hand and were responsible for many of the patents held in Edison's name!. As employees of Edison's company, the employees could not file for the patents in their own names and rightly so!.

In addition, most of "Edison's inventions" were not completely original but rather improvements of earlier patents!. Again, it was Edison's employees who played the largest role in these improvements and patents!. Most of Edison's inventing was done at Menlo Park and the early years at the West Orange facility!. Edison found that his time at the West Orange lab and manufacturing complex was often consumed by administrative chores, not inventing!. also, many of Edison’s later inventions, e!.g!., concrete homes, were failures!. During his lifetime, Edison was frequently criticized for not sharing the credits for "his" 1,093 inventions with his employees!. But this negative aspect of Edison's character has been largely lost to the general public nearly 76 years after his death!.

I will acknowledge that Edison was directly responsible for a handful of the most significant and important inventions in the last 130 years and this is his legacy and the laurels he rested on!. But I don’t believe there are many people who can name five of his inventions and probably no one who can name 10 of ‘his’ 1!.093 inventions!. The majority of them were largely insignificant or failures!.

As an aside, history is often distorted because of Hollywood movies that are embellished with lies and half-truths, ill-searched books and history teachers that really don’t know history!. To paraphrase Ben Franklin: Believe half of what you read and less of what you hear!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847 – October 18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman who developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph and the long-lasting, practical electric light bulb!. Dubbed "The Wizard of Menlo Park" by a newspaper reporter, he was one of the first inventors to apply the principles of mass production and large teamwork to the process of invention, and therefore is often credited with the creation of the first industrial research laboratory!.

Edison is considered one of the most prolific inventors in history, holding 1,093 U!.S!. patents in his name, as well as many patents in the United Kingdom, France and Germany!. He is credited with numerous inventions that contributed to mass communication and, in particular, telecommunications!. His advanced work in these fields was an outgrowth of his early career as a telegraph operator!. Edison originated the concept and implementation of electric-power generation and distribution to homes, businesses, and factories - a crucial development in the modern industrialized world!. His first power plant was on Manhattan Island, New York!.

Www@QuestionHome@Com

By his many inventions, he was truly one the greatest inventors of all time!.Www@QuestionHome@Com