An inventor makes something new that people have never had before. American inventors changed how we live, work and travel.
Key idea
Ben Franklin showed that lightning is electricity (1752). Alexander Graham Bell made the telephone (1876). Thomas Edison made a light bulb that lasted (1879). The Wright brothers flew the first airplane (1903).
Why it works
Each invention solved a problem. Franklin's discovery led to the lightning rod, which protects buildings. The telephone let people talk across long distances. Edison's bulb lit homes after dark without a flame. On December 17, 1903, at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, Orville Wright flew for 12 seconds, the first powered airplane flight a person controlled. Today we fly all over the world.
Common mistake
It is easy to mix up who made what. Also, inventors seldom work alone: Edison had a whole team in his laboratory, and the Wright brothers were two brothers working together. Match each invention to its inventor and its year.
For the grown-up: Look around your home for inventions: the light switch, the phone, a fan. Ask, "What did people do before this was invented?"