Summary-
Electric lighting was one of the latest electrical inventions of the gilded age. It was also unlike many of the inventions during this time, because instead of being just a convenience, it liberated us from nature and the dark. America quickly adopted the lighting system when it became more efficient, to the point where countries across the Atlantic saw it as a "technological marvel". This was not the case when the electric light was first becoming a reality. While inspiring, the lighting was complicated and inefficient at first. The arc light was more widely adopted than the incandescent light after they were first introduced by Davy in 1810. Many sought to utilize the new electric lighting but time and time again could not produce an efficient light. It was not until Charles Brush improved the arc light that America began to replace gas lamps. Starting out in a park in Cleveland, moving to the town of Wabash, Indiana, and finally out into businesses, Brush's arc lamps stunned everyone who saw them, creating a push for even more electrical lighting. After a few inventors began to try and revive the incandescent light, Edison began his work on it as well. He was not only focused on the light itself, but the creating of an entire lighting system that could run throughout a city. Edison's biggest problem was finding a filament for the bulb that wouldn't burn up in the heat. After many experiments and much ridicule from the public, Edison began his greatest challenge, which was creating a functional electrical system, while facing off against the gas company giants.
Key Terms-
Gilded Age
Alessandro Volta
Sir Humphry Davy
Arc Light
Michael Faraday
Josef Henry
Pavel Jablochkoff
Charles Brush
Pictures-
Volta's Battery
Questions-
Why were American's so quick to jump on electric lighting while other countries were not?
Who was more beneficial, Brush or Edison?
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