History Lesson #95

Posted byDJW
  • 91. Roller Skates
  • 94. Pasteurization
  • Old West
    • Background
    • 92. Barbed Wire
    • 93. Cowboy Hat
  • My Favorite Invention This Week

Lesson #91: Roller Skates

James Plimpton invented the roller skate in 1863, during the Civil War. Once the war ended in 1865, Plimpton began to advertise his roller skate as a way to relax after the war. They haven’t changed much since then; they are the same shoes-on-wheels they were when Plimpton invented them. They are used in roller disco, and other sports. Eventually, they led to the roller blade and skate board. They are still popular today, although roller blades are becoming more common, and roller skates somewhat less.

Simple Pair of Roller Skates
Professional Rollerblades


Lesson #94: Pasteurization

Louis Pasteur (as in pasteurization) invented a method to make wine last longer that involved heating it up to a certain temperature. He discovered that the wine would last longer than normal. At first this method was only used on wine and beer, but after a little bit it began to be used for milk. Today, nearly all milk you buy from the store is required to be pasteurized.

Old West

Background

Between 1783 and 1857, the US gained lots of territory in the west. This growth included the Louisiana Purchase and the Mexican-American War over Texas. Settlers went west to raise cattle and crops. A great and popular example of this is By The Shores Of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It is part of the little house series, and I think it best illustrates the western frontier of South Dakota.


Lesson #92: Barbed Wire

In the old west, cattle ranchers were some of the first to settle. They would raise cattle and drive them to Kansas, where they could be shipped off to be sold. The trouble was, as land was settled up, cattle would eat farmers crops on the way. Wood fencing was too expensive at the time, so there needed to be a better way to keep them out of farmers land. Barbed wire was invented to solve this problem. It is very cheap, but the sharp points keep cattle from passing through. The cattle don’t like it. That practically ended the old west, because cattle were led less freely and more land was settled.


Lesson #93: Cowboy Hat

Cowboys were men who drove cattle to Kansas for shipment. John Stetson was a son of a hat maker, but he became ill and was sent west for his health. He saw the hats cowboys wore, and knew they needed something else. He invented the cowboy hat for this reason. The wide brim keeps off rain and sunlight. It keeps your neck warm in the winter. Its use spread quickly. It became “The hat that won the west”

My Favorite Invention This Week…

was the Cowboy Hat. It is my favorite because it has so many different uses. It is waterproof so you can use it to give your horse some water. A horse might not drink out of a waterfall of a stream, if the stream is too shallow. A horse cannot drink out of a flask (a type of flat water bottle).