Week 17 Summary Essay
This week I learned about four more inventions which were the ironing board, the international combustion engine, the lever-action repeating rifle, and the twist drill bit. Their inventors’ names were W. Vandenberg, J. Harvey, Etienne Lenoir, Benjamin Tyler Henry, and Steven A. Morse. Here is a short paragraph about each of them.
The first invention I learned about in week 17 was the ironing board. It was invented and patented in 1858 by two men named W. Vandenberg and J. Harvey. Ironing works by loosening the fibers in the fabric. The ironing board works with the iron by providing a soft, but stable surface for the clothes to be laid on and ironed. After its invention, others continued to patent improved versions of the ironing board throughout the rest of the 1800s, as well as the invention of the iron. Ironing boards are cheap, portable, and convenient. They are also a massive time saver. The ironing board has had a huge impact on history and is extremely useful in our modern lives today.
Another thing I learned about this week was the internal combustion engine. It was invented and patented in 1859 by a man named Etienne Lenoir. The internal combustion engine is a mechanical device that uses explosive fuel to drive the power stroke of a piston, or usually multiple pistons. Lenoir installed his invention in cars and many other machines. Today, almost everything is powered by combustion engines. Some examples would be cars, lawnmowers, and jet engines. Actually, most of our modern-day machines use internal combustion engines! This invention has had a massive impact on history, and I don’t know what people would do without it.
The third thing I learned about this week was the lever-action repeating rifle, also called the Henry rifle. It was invented in 1860 by a man named Benjamin Tyler Henry, who was born in New Hampshire in 1821. Using this rifle, you can fire 16 shots rapidly without having to reload. After it was invented, the lever-action repeating rifle played a huge role in the Civil War and many other occasions. In fact, we use the Henry rifle all the time! This invention changed the face of warfare, and is still in use today.
The last thing I learned about this week in history class was the twist drill bit. Steven A. Morse invented this invention in 1861. The twist drill bit cuts a clean hole, and lifts debris up and out as it turns. Morse manufactured his bit and sold it to various industries and in several countries. It’s what we generally think of when we imagine a drill, and they are used in large and small construction projects alike.
All these inventions are cool, but I think I like the ironing board the best. The ironing board is a simple invention that is useful in our lives today. It saves time and you can iron clothes efficiently. As the ironing board improved, so did the iron, until we got the modern iron and ironing board we have today. I am so grateful to do history through RPC, and I can’t wait to see what I will learn about next week.