Thomas Edison

1,093 US patents in his name

In the Gilded Age, Thomas Edison had lost of inventions that impacted the world. Some of these were the lightbulb, photograph, motion picture, and a system for generating electric power. Many of these contributed to mass communication and telecommunications. His system distributed electric power to homes, businesses, and factories.

One of the goals in the Progressive Era was to modernize and make things more efficient, and Edison's inventions made him a notable leader in this Era.

Thomas Edison

Thomas Edison worked as a telegrapher during the Civil War. He was also a businessman and a manufacturer. He developed hearing problems so he went on to improve the telephone's voice and sound quality.