Thomas Edison (2:51)
Thomas Edison's most famous invention, the light bulb, paved the way for modern life.
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Videos (32)
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Thomas Edison
Thomas EdisonVideo Clip (2:51)
Video Clip (2:51)
Thomas Edison's most famous invention, the light bulb, paved the way for modern life.
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Civil War Tech
Civil War TechVideo Clip (2:17)
Video Clip (2:17)
The Civil War saw the rise of major technological advances in warfare.
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Transcontinental Railroad
Transcontinental RailroadVideo Clip (3:27)
Video Clip (3:27)
Find out how the transcontinental railroad transformed America into one nation.
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Henry Ford and the Model T
Henry Ford and the Model TVideo Clip (3:18)
Video Clip (3:18)
Find out how Henry Ford's Model T revolutionized transportation in America.
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Wright Brothers
Wright BrothersVideo Clip (3:01)
Video Clip (3:01)
The Wright Brothers made the world's first powered flights. Check out their photos and journals and get an inside look at the men behind the legend.
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1920s Inventions
1920s InventionsVideo Clip (1:34)
Video Clip (1:34)
During the roaring 1920s, inventions like home refrigeration and penicilin sent America into the modern age.
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The Birth of Telecommunications
The Birth of TelecommunicationsVideo Clip (4:11)
Video Clip (4:11)
Alexander Graham Bell thought he was on to something, but no one wanted his new invention. Hear the first messages to travel by wire and through the air.
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First Telegraph Message
First Telegraph MessageVideo Clip (2:55)
Video Clip (2:55)
Morse's first telegram marked the beginning of the telecommunications revolution.
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Ben Franklin Sparks Electricity
Ben Franklin Sparks ElectricityVideo Clip (3:58)
Video Clip (3:58)
After retiring from politics age 42, Ben Franklin became an innovator in the field of science through his study of electricity and his invention of the lightning rod.
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Wright Brothers are First in Flight
Wright Brothers are First in FlightVideo Clip (3:06)
Video Clip (3:06)
Inspired by a childhood toy, Orville and Wilbur go on to design and fly the world's first powered airplane.
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Wright Brothers Test Flight, 1909
Wright Brothers Test Flight, 1909Video Clip (1:32)
Video Clip (1:32)
In the early 20th century, the age of aviation took flight with airplanes invented by Orville and Wilbur Wright. Watch history in the making with footage of a 1909 test flight.
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Lincoln's War Machine
Lincoln's War MachineVideo Clip (3:01)
Video Clip (3:01)
Twenty-four thousand miles of railroad replenishes troops and supplies for the North and delivers disaster to the South.
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Building the Erie Canal
Building the Erie CanalVideo Clip (2:39)
Video Clip (2:39)
Opened in 1825, the Erie Canal was one of the most extraordinary engineering feats of the 19th century, connecting eastern ports and manufacturing with the rest of the country.
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Hoover Dam
Hoover DamVideo Clip (4:09)
Video Clip (4:09)
Built during the Great Depression, Hoover Dam was a marvel of engineering and labor.
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Manhattan Project
Manhattan ProjectVideo Clip (3:09)
Video Clip (3:09)
Explore the top-secret American project to build the world's first atomic bomb.
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WWI Firsts
WWI FirstsVideo Clip (1:18)
Video Clip (1:18)
WWI may have been the war to end all wars, but it was also the beginning of many military and civilian technologies.
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The Book that Changed the World
The Book that Changed the WorldVideo Clip (2:18)
Video Clip (2:18)
The Gutenberg Bible was the first book printed in Western Europe using movable metal type, introducing text reproduction to the masses.
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The Space Race
The Space RaceVideo Clip (2:58)
Video Clip (2:58)
The U.S. competition with the U.S.S.R. for technological dominance spurred the U.S. on to the first-ever landing on the Moon.
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Edison's Failed Inventions
Edison's Failed InventionsVideo Clip (4:29)
Video Clip (4:29)
Thomas Edison had over 400 patents in just 8-years, but not all his ideas took off. See some bizarre failures from the Wizard of Menlo Park.
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Aerosol Spray Can: Invention of War
Aerosol Spray Can: Invention of WarVideo Clip (2:54)
Video Clip (2:54)
The first aerosol can was designed to kill insects, not body odor. Get the facts.
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The Jeep: Invention of War
The Jeep: Invention of WarVideo Clip (2:15)
Video Clip (2:15)
During World War II, General Dwight Eisenhower called the Jeep one of America's most important weapons. Why was the Jeep developed, and where did it get that funny name?
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Inventions of War - Jet
Inventions of War - JetVideo Clip (2:33)
Video Clip (2:33)
Originally built for military use, jet engines have evolved to the commercial airliners we utilize today. From Modern Marvels.
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Orange Juice: Invention of War
Orange Juice: Invention of WarVideo Clip (5:03)
Video Clip (5:03)
Napoleon said an army marches on its stomach. How has war changed what people eat and drink, including orange juice?
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Penicillin: Invention of War
Penicillin: Invention of WarVideo Clip
Discover how penicillin became available to the masses.
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Plastic - Invention of War
Plastic - Invention of WarVideo Clip (2:38)
Video Clip (2:38)
Find out about the invention of plastic.
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Radar: Invention of War
Radar: Invention of WarVideo Clip (3:14)
Video Clip (3:14)
How did radar research later lead to the invention of a device found in most modern kitchens? Find out more.
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The Rocket: Invention of War
The Rocket: Invention of WarVideo Clip (2:37)
Video Clip (2:37)
Before they were part of the space race, rockets were deadly military weapons. Which country was the first to use rockets during war? Get the facts.
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Satellites: Invention of War
Satellites: Invention of WarVideo Clip (2:53)
Video Clip (2:53)
Sputnik was the first satellite to orbit Earth, but satellites that produced changes in the way we explore our planet came from American optics. Find out more.
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Silly Putty: Invention of War
Silly Putty: Invention of WarVideo Clip (2:32)
Video Clip (2:32)
The origins of this rubber-like substance date back to a time when the U.S. faced a major crisis. Find out how Silly Putty was invented.
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Mankind in 2 Minutes
Mankind in 2 MinutesVideo Clip (2:12)
Video Clip (2:12)
Experience the story of Mankind in 2 Minutes.
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Mankind Decoded Sneak Peek
Mankind Decoded Sneak PeekVideo Clip (5:03)
Video Clip (5:03)
Check out a sneak peek of the upcoming series Mankind Decoded.
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Andrew Carnegie
Andrew CarnegieVideo Clip (2:11)
Video Clip (2:11)
Meet Andrew Carnegie and find out how the wealthiest man of his day ended up giving away his vast fortune.
Photo Galleries (7)
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Industrial Inventions
Industrial Inventions(12 Photos)
12 Photos
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Inventions: Communication
Inventions: Communication(14 Photos)
14 Photos
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Inventions: Computers and Internet
Inventions: Computers and Internet(9 Photos)
9 Photos
See the invention and evolution of personal computers and the internet.
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Inventions: Inventors
Inventions: Inventors(8 Photos)
8 Photos
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Inventions: Transportation
Inventions: Transportation(12 Photos)
12 Photos
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Civil War: Artifacts
Civil War: Artifacts(9 Photos)
9 Photos
Explore Civil War artifacts, from medical kits and personal hygiene items, to carbines and currency.
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Civil War: Mathew Brady
Civil War: Mathew Brady(18 Photos)
18 Photos
Photographer Mathew Brady and his associates would create more than 10,000 images of the American Civil War, bringing the harsh realities of war to the American public..
Speeches & Audio (4)
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Thomas Edison on the Development of Electricity
Thomas Edison on the Development of ElectricityAudio Clip (1:37)
Audio Clip (1:37)
In a speech recorded on an Edison Gold Moulded cylinder for the opening of the New York Electric Show on October 3, 1908, Thomas Edison reflects on the technological advances of the era.
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Edison's Phonograph
Edison's PhonographAudio Clip (2:08)
Audio Clip (2:08)
In a turn-of-the-century advertisement, Thomas Edison's newly invented phonograph "talks" to customers, describing its unique characteristics.
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Monkeys Travel to Space
Monkeys Travel to SpaceAudio Clip (2:00)
Audio Clip (2:00)
On May 28, 1959, in an experiment that would lead the way to manned space flight, the United States launched two monkeys to an altitude of 300 miles. A Voice of America news report details the travels of the two primates who survived the space flight and were the first in history to return safely to Earth.
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First American Woman in Space
First American Woman in SpaceAudio Clip (0:50)
Audio Clip (0:50)
Sally Ride becomes the first American woman in space when the shuttle Challenger takes off on June 18, 1983. The historical moment is noted in communication just after liftoff.
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