• Ingenuity and innovation have been a part of life in the United States since its inception. Several of the Founding Fathers were inventors, and the tradition of creativity has continued in their fine example. Several American inventions have had a significant impact not just on the United States, but on the world at large..
  
  

Bifocals

• In 1784, Benjamin Franklin invented bifocal spectacles. Franklin had difficulty seeing objects that were close as well as far away, so he needed to carry two pairs of glasses. Tired of switching back and forth, Franklin fashioned a single pair of glasses with both convex and concave lenses, allowing him to see properly at any distance by simply moving his eyes up or down and looking through the correct lens.
  
  

Cotton Gin

• In 1793, Eli Whitney filed a patent for the first cotton gin (short for engine). The cotton gin is a device that separates sticky seeds and seed pods from cotton fibers. This process was previously done by hand and was very time consuming. The cotton gin was quick and enabled farmers to save seeds to plant later. The cotton gin made cotton the cash crop of the South, but Eli Whitney never made money from his invention. Farmers pirated the idea and built inferior models instead of paying Whitney for the cotton gin.
  
  

Telegraph

• In 1837, Samuel B. Morse invented the first telegraph machine, which transmitted messages across an electrical wire. The telegraph united the world and made the transmission of information almost instantaneous. In a time when international messages and news could take weeks to reach their destinations, the telegraph made up-to-the-hour communication possible. The telegraph revolutionized information systems, economics and personal communication. Morse also invented the aptly named Morse code, a series of sounds and breaks representing letters that traveled through the electrical telegraph circuit.
  
  

Revolver

• In 1836, Samuel Colt invented the first revolving firearm. The revolver has a rotating cylinder capable of holding several bullets, so the owner does not have to stop and reload between each bullet fired. Single-shot weapons took time and expertise to reload. The revolver revolutionized both warfare and the experience of the private gun owner, becoming the weapon of choice for soldiers and settlers. The hand-held revolver led to larger, more complex semi-automatic weapons.