Week 20 Summary Essay

               The inventions I learned about this week were dynamite, the chuckwagon, the typewriter II, and ticker tape. Some of these inventions are either not used or rarely used today, but they still played a major role in history. Here is a quick summary of each invention.

               The first thing I learned about this week was dynamite. Before and into the 1800s, the only powerful explosive chemical or powder was gun powder. Alfred Nobel, born in Sweden in 1833 invented dynamite after having some unpleasant explosive consequences throughout the 1800s. Dynamite is a safe and secure explosive chemical that is made by mixing nitroglycerin and other chemicals. Alfred Nobel grew rich and wealthy by starting his own factory making dynamite with two remaining brothers (there were eight children counting Alfred). Dynamite became a weapon used for terrorism in the 1880s.

               The second thing I learned about in history class was the chuckwagon. The covered wagon was the ancestor of the chuckwagon, and it helped settle the Midwest. Charles Goodnight invented the chuckwagon when he moved into cattle driving. The chuckwagon is a portable kitchen that stored food and let the cook prepare meals for the trail cowboys. The lure of beef profits increased the number of cattle drives, which drove demand for the chuckwagon. Cattle driving was a definitive period for the Wild West and left a lasting impact on history.
 
               The third thing I learned about this week was the typewriter II. Burt invented the first typewriter, but only after his patent expired did innovation continue. Christopher Latham Sholes invented the modern typewriter in 1867 after consulting with different inventors. Typewriters allow people to write faster and neater than they can with pen and pencil. Sholes typed letters to investors to demonstrate the inventions benefits. The typewriter led to the QWERTY keyboard and helped bring women into the workforce.

               Finally, the last thing I learned about this week was ticker tape. It was invented in 1867 by a man named Edward Callahan. Ticker tape is a narrow strip of paper with stock information on it. It wasn’t long after that Calahan’s idea caught the attention of other inventors who improved his idea. Ticker tape is obsolete today; no one manufactures the machines anymore, but it lives on in digital space. Ticker tape is important and has a big impact on history.

               Some examples of inventions that are not around or rarely used today that I have learned about this week were: the typewriter, ticker tape and the chuckwagon. Out of these four inventions, I believe I liked the chuckwagon the best. Although the cook in the chuckwagon worked very hard, he still managed to feed the cowboys at least three times a day, and if he didn’t, we probably would not have most of what the Wild West was known for: cowboys! I’m excited to see what I am going to learn about next week.