William P Duncan

Our review for May is a few days late, but very interesting.  May is National Inventors Month, so we have turned our sights to explorers of a different kind: those who explored what is possible in this world, and by their explorations have made all of our lives better! 

Samuel Colt

What can be more American than inventing a gun?  While there had been other multi-shot guns, Colt made a better version and applied the concept of standardized parts to making it inexpensively.  Also a bit of a showman, sayings like this helped to sell his invention!

Samuel Colt

“God created men, Col. Colt made them equal “

Samuel Colt was told by soldiers that they would like to be able to fire their guns 5 or 6 times without reloading, but it was impossible.  Having learned mechanics in his father’s textile factory, he set about to build the impossible gun.  Others had made revolving multi-fire guns: Colt added more reliable firing mechanisms, and other improvements.  What he is most recognized for is the development of standardized, fully interchangeable parts and the assembly line.  He also was an innovator in marketing – including today’s quote.

Today’s quote has a bit of dark humor behind it: Firearms are an equalizer.  Size and strength were critical to fighting with sword and spear, and even with bow and arrow.  The firearm made size and strength much less important.  Multiple firing weapons made small groups more equal to large forces: 30 Texas Rangers with Colt’s weapons were able to hold off a force of hundreds of Mexican soldiers in the War with Mexico (1846-1848).  So we can see that Colt was an American inventor – bringing equality to the masses!

Thomas Edison with his Phonograph (1878)

Thomas Edison is perhaps the most famous American inventor, and his most famous invention is the incandescent light bulb.  But he also had hundreds of other inventions that  still impact our life today – either directly or through daughter inventions.  He was known for his work ethic and willingness to keep trying new options until he found one that worked!

Thomas Edison

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.“

We have heard about the importance of persistence from several different explorers.  Here Edison states the importance of persistence for inventors.  After trying many ways without success (10,000 might be an exaggeration!), he did not consider that failure – just crossing off the ways that didn’t work.  Persistence is a virtue that we can all cultivate.

George Washington Carver (1906)

George Washington Carver was born a slave at the tail end of the Civil War, and orphaned as an infant.  He overcame these early challenges to become a leading inventor of agricultural products – with a focus on the peanut.  There are many quotes that reveal a man of insight into science and human life.

George Washington Carver

“Since new developments are the products of a creative mind, we must therefore stimulate and encourage that type of mind in every way possible. “

The human mind is a wonderful thing.  Its talents include memory, intelligence, and creativity – difficult to measure and to understand.  New things come from creativity – and Carver tells us here that to continue having new things, we must encourage and stimulate creativity in our minds, and the minds of our children.  The United States has been a place where creativity has thrived – we see this in our inventors of this month!  As we pass this 250^th birthday, we need to pay attention to how we are encouraging those creative minds among us. 

Frederick McKinley Jones

Frederick McKinley Jones received little formal education, but tremendous practical education: working as a mechanic by age 14.  With over 60 patents, he is best know for inventing the portable refrigeration unit that allowed for refrigerated shipping – so we can thank him every time we eat fresh fruits and vegetable shipped from far away!

Frederick McKinley Jones

“Remember, nothing is impossible.“

Orphaned at 9, out of school by 12 or 13, a mixed-race child in early 20^th century America – the deck was stacked against Jones.  But he did not let his circumstances rule him.  Believing this tenet – “Nothing is Impossible” – he set to work and became a decorated inventor and successful businessman.  May we all keep that motto as well.

May has a wealth of other inventor quotes: both Orville and Wilbur Wright, Nikola Tesla, John Deere, Charles Goodyear, Samuel Morse and more.  While this month celebrates the inventors of America, there is much more history to come!

Purchase the Journal Here:
Discovering America Again: Daily Quotations from the Explorers: MacCutcheon, K., Duncan, William Pugh: 9798241523990: Amazon.com: Books