History Lesson #10

Summarize each of the inventions you studied this week and how they impacted history.

6. Vapor-Compression Theory
7. Oliver Evans
8. Percussion Ignition
9. Canning Process

Vapor-Compression Theory

In the Summer it is hot and that can be uncomfortable for us and it would make food spoil faster than if the food was cold. Oliver Evans (see below) wrote about vapor-compression refrigeration in 1805. Below is how it works in an image:

The refrigerator and air conditioning came from the vapor compression process. In fact, if you are reading this in hot weather but are cool, this is why.

Oliver Evans

Flour was low-quality and hard to make in America. Oliver Evans built a flour mill on the Evans’ family farm so he could try to improve the milling system. He made a bunch of inventions that weren’t very important on their own, but together they pretty much automated the process of milling. Evans also invented the vapor compression theory (see above) and wrote about it in 1805. Vapor compression dramatically changed the world too.

Percussion Ignition

Once their was a flintlock gun firing system. John Forsyth invented the percussion cap. One issue with the flintlock system (in duck hunting, Forsyth’s hobby) was that you would pull the trigger, and a cloud of smoke would come up that the target would see, and get out of the way before the bullet fired. The percussion ignition system was faster, giving the target less time to get away, and it also worked when wet, unlike the old flintlock system. Unfortunately, Forsyth patented his invention, and, like John Kay with his flying shuttle, he went bankrupt and went back to preaching. However, the invention was still successful. It led to the modern bullet, which was very efficient and helpful.

Canning Process

Napoleon offered prize money for a better way to get food to the army after the French Revolution. (Some of you can probably guess the rest. For the benefit of the those who can’t, and so I can successfully complete this essay, I will continue) Nicolas Appert got motivated and invented the canning posses. He used glass jars, but later tin cans were adopted by Napoleon. The army could now get a lot of canned food before leaving for war, and canning led to something most people who have large gardens (like us) do. In fact, within the next week, I am going to can for the first time ever with my own homegrown tomatoes. Canning also led to the mason jar, and now foods could be preserved for years.

Also, List two or three sources of motivation that you think are powerful enough to drive inventors to pursue their inventions, even in the face of adversity like bankruptcy and ridicule.

1. Their own lives
2. Other people’s lives
3. Money

Their own lives

The inventor’s own life could be impacted by their invention, and I think that would drive motivation. Take John Forsyth’s percussion ignition system for example. His motivation was that the old system of firing guns was not effective. His invention started with his hobby, duck hunting. His gun was in inefficient, and he did not catch any ducks. The only issue was he enforced his patent. THAT is the only reason he went bankrupt.

Other people’s lives

The lives of other people could be impacted by the invention, and I think that could drive motivation. Take the flour mill of Oliver Evans for example. Evans saw the problem of poor quality flour, and decided to fix it. This helps other people as well as himself. He had trouble marketing his invention, but (he) didn’t give up because he knew he had an invention that could help other people.

Money

I am going to give to examples of money motivated inventions: The Marine Chronometer and the Canning Process. The Marine Chronometer’s inventor was motivated by the Longitude Act of 1850, while Nicolas Appert was motivated by rewards issued by Napoleon.