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Inventions of the Middle Period

A.J., Taylor, Julia, & Eric

Robert Fulton invented the steamship, which reduced the time it took to transport goods and people.

The Erie Canal in New York linked the Great Lakes to rest of world by providing a route for steamboats to reach the Atlantic Ocean

Robert Fulton & the Steamship

Samuel Slater created the cotton mill, the first successful kind of mechanized factory.

Samuel Slater

Known for creating the cotton gin, which increased slavery and cotton production.

Also created interchangeable parts for guns, which was a step towards mass- production.

Eli Whitney

He invented the first steel plow, which took less animal power and replaced oxen with horses. This plow made making the western plains inhabitable a much more achievable goal.

John Deere

Cyrus McCormick invented the mechanical reaper , which made crops easy to harvest. This invention encouraged Americans to move west.

Cyrus McCormick

Created the electromagnetic telegraph, which sends signals ten miles through copper wire telegraph lines. This was a huge step towards modern communication.

Also created Morse code.

Samuel Morse

Elias Howe developed the first sewing machine, which speeded up the production of cloth products.

Elias Howe

Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, which was another big step for modern communication.

Alexander Graham Bell