Thomas Edison

Truly an inspiration, Thomas Edison is an inspira (http://encouragement100.com/?tag=inventor-thomas-edison)

"Well, at least we know 8,000 things that don't work" (Thomas Alva Edison). Thomas Edison once said this while trying to perfect his invention of the Edison Battery. This quote reveals the persevering personality of Thomas Edison. Thomas Edison was born on February 11, 1847. He grew up impoverished in Milan, Ohio, and at age 7 he moved to Port Huron, Michigan. Even as a young child, Edison saw fascination in mechanical things and experiments. He carried that passion with him the rest of his life, as he became one of the most renowned inventors of all time. While Edison is most often remembered for his accomplishments in the lab, what is sometimes overlooked is how he got there. Nothing came easy for Edison, nothing was given to him. He had to work for everything he had. Thomas Edison persevered through many negatives to become one of the most well-known inventors in the history of the world.

Edison overcame many failures, seeing them as positives that showed him what wouldn't work. He didn't just do this in the field of inventing, but in his everyday life as well. Edison had many hardships to deal with from his beginnings. These hardships proved important to Edison's life as it gave him the belief that a negative can be overcome and turned to a positive. This belief stuck with Edison his whole life. Through talent, energy, and hard work, he rose from poor beginnings in a small Midwestern town to a position of eminence and wealth ("Thomas Alva Edison"). His never-ending push, driven by his perseverance is an inspiration to all people, that no matter your failures you can overcome them and succeed. His rise to eminence inspires people that you can become something no matter your beginnings. He not only showed his perseverance in his everyday life he also showed it while inventing. While trying to perfect the Edison Battery, he once said (after many failed attempts) "Well at least we know 8,000 things that don't work." (Thomas Alva Edison). This quote truly inspires me, it tells me to "keep on keepin' on". For example, if I'm hitting (in baseball) and I strike out my first at-bat, I shouldn't see it as striking out. What I should see it as is a knowledge of what not to do my next at-bat. It also shows me to look at life as a positive-to see the good in things, not the bad - to view the glass as half full rather than half empty. Thomas Edison not only demonstrates perseverance through this quote, but also dedication. For most people it would be hard to keep at something after failing 8,000 times, Edison though, continued due to his dedication to succeed. In the eyes of the world, Edison should be not only remembered, but admired for what he did in the lab and what he went through to get there and succeed once he did.

Edison invented the Quadruplex Instrument. This i (http://edison.rutgers.edu/biogrphy.htm)

The world renown fame of Thomas Edison was earned in the lab. He earned it by creating so many things important the modern-day world. Without Thomas Edison, today's world could be extremely different; mostly in the field of electronics. Thomas Edison's first invention to receive a patent was the electrical vote recorder. His first successful invention, though was the Edison Universal Stock Printer. Thomas Edison held 1093 patents for his inventions (wiki.answers.com) -an amazing accomplishment. Edison also developed the Ediphone, a dictating machine based on his cylinder phonograph ("Edison, Thomas Alva"). The Ediphone as well as the telegraph were some devices that eventually lead to the invention of the telephone. One device that has lasted the test of time was his invention of the light bulb. Without Thomas Edison creating many of the things he invented, today's world might have been without many of the things we have.

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Thomas Edison is a hero to many people due to not only his success and fame as an inventor, but his perseverance that led him to his fame and success. Thomas Edison is an inspiration because of his ability to deal with adversity and succeed despite all doubt. His brilliance in the lab is something to admire as well; as he invented numerous things that have impacted the world. Edison's 84 year life began as an impoverished child; this did not hold him back though; neither did failure, or blindness, taking all of his problems with him he rose to the top. He proves to all children and adults alike that no matter your struggles, if you persevere you can succeed.

Thomas Edison is an inspiration to us all to pers (http://www.famous-people.info/)

Works Consulted Jenkins, Reese V. "Edison, Thomas Alva." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2010. Web. 13 Dec. 2010. “The Life of Thomas A. Edison.” Memory.loc.gov, n.d. Web. 13 Dec 2010.http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/edhtml/edbio.html. "Thomas Alva Edison." Encyclopedia of World Biography. 2nd ed. Vol. 5. Detroit: Gale, 2004. 206-208. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 13 Dec. 2010. "Thomas Alva Edison." Gale Encyclopedia of U.S. Economic History. Detroit: Gale, 1999. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 13 Dec. 2010.