Other
Black Inventor Online Museum: Jan Matzeliger
A very complete biography of African-American inventor, Jan Matzeliger, who developed the shoe-lasting machine. Read about the development of his invention, and see pictures of the machine and the patent drawing.
The Franklin Institute
The Franklin Institute: A Century of Development
The Franklin Institute looks at the invention of the Brownie camera, which helped put photography into the hands of amateurs and allowed the middle class to take their own snapshots as well in the early 20th century.
Other
History of Telephone Sets: Graham Bell Invents the Telephone
A short summary of how Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922) came to invent the telephone.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mit: Inventor of the Week: Wallace Carothers
This site from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology contains information on Wallace Hume Carothers and his invention of nylon.
Enchanted Learning
Enchanted Learning: Inventors & Inventions From the 1700s
Use this site to learn more about early inventors and inventions from the 18th century. This web page offers text and images on various inventors and their inventions. You can also access information about inventors and inventions from...
Other
African American Inventors and Inventions: Elijah Mc Coy the Real Mc Coy
A brief biography of Elijah McCoy and a description of one of his inventions that made factory machinery run smoothly.
Smithsonian Institution
Lemelson Center: Invention Features: Lewis Latimer
Smithsonian site features the life and many accomplishments of Lewis Latimer, the famous African-American inventor.
PBS
Pbs: American Experience: Special Feature: Forgotten Inventors
This fascinating site from PBS features seven inventions from the 19th and 20th centuries, along with information about the men and women who created them. Click on one of the small photos to learn more, or scroll down through the...
Other
Hewlett Packard Executive Biographies
The executive biography of Bill Hewlett that is part of the Hewlett-Packard Company's web site.
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Libraries:industrial Drawings at the Smithsonian: Doodles & Drafts
Drawing is a key element in an inventor's skill set. When it comes to the working out of new ideas, inventors turn to pencil and paper. Mixing art and science, this exhibition site showcases a collection of industrial drawings that...
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Libraries: Innovators Gallery
Who invented the tennis racket, Crayola Crayons or Tupperware? Smithsonian site invites users to explore the achievements of a variety of American innovators and inventors.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Harcourt: Biographies
A fantastic resource where you can find biographies of historical figures. You can search by the person's name or by topics, such as Presidents, United States Leaders, Scientists, Inventors, Humanitarians, Explorers and Pioneers,...
Other
Eli Whitney/cotton Gin
A collection of websites on Eli Whitney and his invention, the cotton gin.
Smithsonian Institution
Lemelson Center: Women Inventors
Discover the contributions of several women inventors. Did you know a woman invented the Kevlar Vest? Teacher resources available for download.
Other
Lemelson Center's Invention at Play: Surgical Robot Inventor
Read a biography of Akhil Madhani, the inventor of the surgical robot, and about his teleoperated surgical instruments.
Library of Congress
Loc: Wilbur and Orville Wright Papers
Over 49,000 digitized primary documents having to do with the Wright brothers and their work with flight. A timeline of the brothers' work, a family tree, and other special presentations are offered.
Read Works
Read Works: Famous Inventors Thomas Edison
[Free Registration/Login Required] This short biographical piece shares information about Thomas Edison, the inventor of the phonograph, light bulb, motion picture camera, and more. This passage is a stand-alone curricular piece that...
Read Works
Read Works: Famous Inventors Alexander Graham Bell: You Rang?
[Free Registration/Login Required] This passage shares brief biographical information about Alexander Graham Bell and his role in inventing the telephone. This passage is a stand-alone curricular piece that reinforces essential reading...
Read Works
Read Works: Alexander Graham Bell
[Free Registration/Login Required] This site includes a biography of Alexander Graham Bell. This passage is a stand-alone curricular piece that reinforces essential reading skills and strategies and establishes scaffolding for vocabulary...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of American History: Things to Do at Home
Families can come together through games designed to make history something fun and integral to family life. Build a sod house like prairie settlers did in the 1800s. Go back in time to visit five families that lived in the same house...
Library of Congress
Loc: Everyday Mysteries: Who Is Credited as Inventing the Telephone?
Find out who is credited for the invention of the telephone in this brief history.
Smithsonian Institution
Lemelson Center: Invention Stories
Six categories of inventions highlight the inventors in those categories and describe their sometimes world-changing inventions. Other inventions are not so critical, but nonetheless fascinating.
Council for Economic Education
Econ Ed Link: Peanuts, Pecans, and Peas, Please
George Washington Carver, a great scientist, changed the economy of the South with his agricultural knowledge. This lesson will investigate how the lowly peanut kept the cotton farmers from losing everything.
Council for Economic Education
Econ Ed Link: Economic Spotter: Inventors and Entrepreneurs in the Industrial Age
The Industrial Age has also been called the Age of Edison. Edison patented more than 1000 inventions and gave rise to three industries: electric utilities, phonograph and record companies, and the film industry. This instructional...