Victorian Accomplishments

The Victorian Era is represented by

Queen Victoria. She was born in 1819
and became Queen of England in
1937 when she was only 18 years old.
Victoria ruled until she died in 1901,
after 64 years as Queen.

The Victorian Era was a time in Englands history when there was political
stability and strict cultural norms. Regarding political stability, as we know, it
is hard to get things done if the person in charge is changing every few
years. For example, during Queen Victorias reign, there were 7 different
kings in Germany and 18 different presidents in the United States.
The Victorian Era comes with a lot of accomplishments.

Technological accomplishments:

1. The Rumford Stove, invented by Sir Benjamin

Thompson, was considered a better technique
than the open fire. It was an expensive stove
but it saved much fuel, used in large kitchen
and it was considered very efficient because it
could cook more in the same time.

2. The steamboats, invented by Thomas

Newcomen, were a way of transportation
used by the higher class and a
development of war. It improved
transportation and made ocean travelling
more easy.

3. The phonograph, invented by Thomas Edison,

was the first recording device that could
reproduce the sound recordings. It was also used
by the higher class.

4. Sun pictures were invented by Fox Talbot.

With the help of these pictures, it was the
only time people could see their queen. By
that time, they were the size of a modern
credit card.

Medical accomplishments:

1. The Stethoscope was invented by

Rene Laennec. It is a medical device
used for the listening of internal body
parts of the human body or animals. It
was a major discovery in the medical
field and it was considered very
helpful.

2. The Antiseptics were invented by Joseph

Lister. Because the open wounds made it
easy for germs to get into the body,
Lister created the antiseptic spray which
was used in operating theatres during
surgery to keep the wounds clean.

3. The Contact lens were created by Adolf Fick.

They were made out of glass and designed
to cover the entire eye. They were one of
the few things that helped someone to see
clearly at that time.

4. The X-ray was discovered by Wilhelm Conrad

who actually invented it accidentally. After

he realized what he has created, he started
to test it on his wifes hand and realize that it
can be a crucial discovery in the medical
field.

Important discoveries that are used by all of us

Cameras (Creating negatives)
Cameras today are fast, efficient and available everywhere. Not so in the
Victorian era, however. Photographs back then where expensive and typically
taken in studios. The whole family would have dressed up to have their
picture taken and arrive at a studio ready to pose for long periods of time.

The posing time was necessary so the image

wont get blurry.
William Henry Fox Talbot filed a patent in
1840 for the process of photographing
objects on to negatives via a chemical
process. The process meant that copies
could be created for photographs, and
photographing wasnt limited to creating
one output per click.
His invention story is one of necessity. While on holiday in Swizerland in 1833
he was unsatisfied with his ability to take pictures with what was available.
He came back home and started experimenting with different chemicals and
process until he came up with the negative picture - essentially using a paper
treated with a chemical which is sensitive to light, to different levels of light.
He created 'drawing'- images of lace or leaves imprinted on the paper. 7
years later he patented what would become the first camera negative film.

The Vacuum cleaner

The modern world has conveniently left behind brooms in favor of the more
powerful vacuum cleaner. This efficient cleaning
gadget concept first came to light around 1900.
The inventor of the first motorised vacuum
cleaner is Hubert Booth (1871-1955) an English
man who got the idea from an American
inventor selling a similar cleaning instrument.
Instead of the machine sucking in dust, however,
the Americans invention blew out air which
Booth considered inefficient. This sparked an
idea in his head which he pursued until the
vacuum cleaner was finally perfected.
His invention story shows us how a mere improvement on an available
product can create a all new invention. Booth witnessed the american's
inventor's vacuum cleaner and wondered why the inventor didn't use suction
to trap the dust. To test his concept he famously placed a handkershif on the
chair of a known restaurant and sucked hard on it. He started chocking on
the dust and when he turned his handkerchief over he noticed it was black
from dust. Fr0m that point on he worked with a partner to produce his
suctioning vacuum cleaners and set up the british vacuum company to build
and sell his new product.

The original vacuum cleaners where nicknamed "puffing billy" and came with
a rather big and cumbersome engine, and were carried around by a carriage
and horses. The hose of the vacuum cleaner would then be inserted through
a window to vacuum carpets within.

Telephone
Probably one of the most important
communication devices today is a highlight
of inventions in the Victorian times,
specifically in the year 1876. As most people
know, it was Alexander Graham Bell who first
gained credits over the invention of the
telephone, when he was the first to patent it.
Less known information is that he had help
with his experiments from Thomas Watson, his assistance and an electricity
expert. The first phrase that was transferred through the telephone was
Watson, come over here. I need you.
The patent was registered just in time, despite the fact that the invention was
in no way perfect. The story is that just two hours after Bell submitted his
patent request, a fellow inventor tried to register the same patent but was
refused. This is proof that, sometimes, gaining legal protection can make all
the difference on the way to eternal invention fame.

Radio
Although the most common source of
entertainment nowadays is the television,
theres no doubt that the radio has made a
big impact and it is still prevalent today.
The concept of radio was first introduced
by Guglielmo Marconi around 1900. He got
the idea after hearing another scientists
discovery about waves that travel through
air. Further developing the concept, he
theorized about the possibility of allowing
sound to travel through air waves.
An Italian, Marconi had to move to Britain to develop his radio concept,
because no one in Italy was interested in helping him build this innovation. In
Britain he found interested parties in the army and post office who were
interested in the technology.

Right now, the radio is mostly used for entertainment purposes but back then
it was for communication and the sending of news and bulletins.
Those arent the only Victorian inventions that have been improved and
developed over the years. The typewriterthe ancestor of the computer
and the electric light bulb were also born along these years. No doubt,
Victorian inventions have contributed greatly to modern life as we know it.