OpenStax
Open Stax: Industrialization and Big Business, 1870 1900: Inventors of the Age
In the Industrial Revolution, new products and inventions spurred the growth of big business. Learn about some of these inventions and the people who created them, for example, Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison.
Smithsonian Institution
Lemelson Center: Spark!lab: Inventor Profiles: Charlotte Cramer Sachs
Charlotte Cramer Sachs held the patents on many inventions. She invented quick baking products such as Joy muffin mixes, as well as accessories for dogs and musical games. One invention was a precursor to the retractable dog leash. A...
Smithsonian Institution
Lemelson Center: Spark!lab: Inventor Profiles: Joseph B. Friedman
Joseph B. Friedman invented the bendable straw, which he patented in 1937. Read about his life here and the history of this famous invention.
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.
Teachnology
Teachnology: Inventors Teaching Theme
A number of worksheets and lessons on inventors and inventing are available here to non-subscribers. There are also many links to other sites with additional materials, including to biographies of well known inventors.
Teachnology
Teachnology: Inventors Teaching Theme
A number of worksheets and lessons on inventors and inventing are available here to non-subscribers. There are also many links to other sites with additional materials, including to biographies of well known inventors.
Smithsonian Institution
Lemelson Center: Spark!lab: Inventor Profiles: Charles F. Brannock
Charles F. Brannock's most famous invention was the Brannock Device. It is used worldwide today for measuring feet in order to determine proper shoe size. Original drawings for it can be viewed here, along with a biographical profile of...
Smithsonian Institution
Lemelson Center: Invention Features: Lewis Latimer
Smithsonian site features the life and many accomplishments of Lewis Latimer, the famous African-American inventor.
Science Struck
Science Struck: A List of Famous Inventors
A long list of famous inventors with some biographical information and descriptions of their inventions.
Other
Positive.news: Children's Inventions to Make the World a Better Place
Children's imaginations are infinite - so could they help draw up the ambitious projects that we need to fight the world's challenges? A group was asked to design inventions to make society a better place. Here's how they responded.
Vassar College
1896: Inventions
A brief recounting of the influx of inventions in the late 19th century that flooded the market. Of particular interest is the description of the use of hot air balloons.
Smithsonian Institution
Lemelson Center: Invention Process
Through a number of articles, stories and research we learn about the invention process, including communicating your ideas, staying resilient when things go wrong.
Library of Congress
Loc: Everyday Mysteries: Who "Invented" the Tv Dinner?
Ever wonder who "invented" the TV dinner? This article provides a discussion of the people and companies involved in the creation of complete frozen meals starting in the 1940s and ending in 1954 when Swanson's frozen meals appeared and...
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mit: Invention of the Week: Alexander Graham Bell
This site provides a biographical sketch of Alexander Graham Bell and his inventions. Find out about Bell's patents in addition to the telephone.
University of Florida
Baldwin Library: A History of Wonderful Inventions by Henry G. Bohn
This is an online photocopy of the original text of the children's book A History of Wonderful Inventions by Henry G. Bohn(1861), a history of inventors and inventions such as the compass, gunpowder, clocks, printing, and more.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mit: Inventor of the Week: Nikola Tesla: The Electro Magnetic Motor
Use this site to learn about the inventor of the electro-magnetic motor, Nikola Tesla. Find out why Tesla's experimentation with alternating current was so important to later inventions and use of electricity.
PBS
Pbs Kids: How to Be an Inventor
Part of the Real Stories series from "Martha Speaks," this read-along story teaches young children how easy it is to be an inventor.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mit: Inventor of the Week: James T. Russell
This site provides a biography of James T. Russell, inventor of the compact disk, and the basic ideas behind the technology.
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.
Other
Eli Whitney/cotton Gin
A collection of websites on Eli Whitney and his invention, the cotton gin.
National Inventors Hall of Fame
National Inventors Hall of Fame: George Eastman
Read a biography of George Eastman and find out how his inventions and innovations revolutionized photography.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mit: Inventor of the Week: Jonas Salk
Read about Jonas Salk and the development of the polio vaccine. This article from the MIT Invention Dimension includes several links to further information on the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis and the Salk Institute for...
Other
United States Patent and Trademark Office: The Cycle of Invention
Read about the cycle of invention where one invention inspires someone to create another one.
Great Idea Finder
Great Idea Finder: Invention of the First Typewriter
A review of the history of the typewriter and a description of the first practical one invented by Christopher Sholes, Carlos Glidden, and Samuel Soule.