So, as I have talked about previously, we are currently studying progressivism. We were recently asked to pick a topic and discuss how it relates to the topic. Our two major questions were... What were you able to discover, learn, and understand about ______ by examining primary source evidence in the newspaper archive? and What did this topic have to do with Progressivism as a movement in late 19th-century/early 20th-century America? For my topic I chop to look I not the development of the lightbulb. Here is what I found....
Thomas A. Edison was a well known inventor during this time. He is most commonly known for inventing the lightbulb. But, did you know he might not have been the first one with the idea? Yeah I know... Shocking. The man who is very rarely acknowledged for playing a part in providing light to the world is Joseph W. Swan. Swan actually petitioned for a patent on April 12,1880. It is said that he originally had the idea around March 1 of that same year. A few months later he was given the patent on October 19, 1880. A year later Edison filed for a patent on May 27, 1881. Edison claims to have come up with the idea during August of 1879 and made progress toward perfecting the idea during the months of October and November of that same year. He claims to have been planning to file for the patent however he just hadn't gotten around to it yet. Luckily, Edison knew the importance of keeping a record of his work and progress so he is able to claim a big part in the development of the electric lightbulb. This being said, there was never enough information on either side to say who did and who didn't have the idea first.
So, what does that mean about how the lightbulb came to be? Well, simple as this... In the head 1882 on September 4 and 8 p.m. Thomas Edison flipped the switch that lit up New York like never before. The electric light became known as a "philosophical toy" and can be counted as an addition to the progress of discovery to the physical comforts of life. Edison's electric lightbulb was called one of the greatest single advances in the department of artificial light.
Prior to this, there is actually evidence that Edison's light had been impacting the world elsewhere. Welcome aboard the S.S. Columbia, a shop considered by most to be the finest steamship in the world. Picture this; you have just boarded upon one of the biggest ships you've ever seen. The walls are shining with a coat of fresh paint. The wood under your feet sparkles without a scratch on its newly finished surface. The elevator to your room runs faster and smoother then ever before. Now, look up. There's a circular object in the ceiling emitting a bright, white light. You've just been told each room has its own set of electric lights that you can control and that you will no longer have to only eat by candle light in the dining room. To save the electricity aboard the ship, each passenger and steward can control all the lights of the ships rooms (individual and some public) and there is a special team of mechanical engineers to turn on the lights in the dining room. To you, as well as many others, this is probably nothing new however for Edison's time, it was a whole new world.
As time went on, a divide began to form between the upper and lower classes. While at first, the lightbulb benefitted all walks of life, the cost to keep up with the times became too much for most to afford. When electric light became popular, there was a brief period of time that the light disappeared and this was counted as a great loss to all who experienced it. Sadly, the number of people who were actually able to have lights in their homes grew shorter and shorter. This invention important to the progressive era because the purpose of this movement was to close the gab between the social classes and move the nation forward as a whole. Because of the lightbulb it actually put the country further from its goal. This is because more money means more privileges. However it also helped move the nation closer to its goal because by inventing the electric light and lightbulb there was now a new level of excitement and actual progress being made. The light now allowed more work to be done in a day as well as open doors for new advances for the people of this time.
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| Joseph W. Swan |
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| Thomas A. Edison |
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| the original lightbulb |
The newspapers I used in the process of completing my research are...
- "The Electric Light at Last"
- New York Herald - New York, New York, December 21, 1879
- "Edison Turns on His Light"
- Cincinnati Daily Gazette - Ohio, Cincinnati, September 05, 1882
- Electric Lights a Hit with the Wealthy
- Worcester Daily Spy - Massachusetts, Worcester, February 27, 1883
- Electric Lights Aboard the S.S. Columbia
- New York Herald - New York, New York, April 28, 1880
- "Swan Declared to Be the Original Inventor of an Electric Light Carbon"
- New York Herald - New York, New York, July 12, 1892
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