Gugliemo Marconi (1901) transatlantic radio message
From Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Henry Bessemir's steel converter (1854)
Michael Faraday (1831)'s discovery of electromagnetic currents
Made generators and electrical engines possible
Marc Brunel's first underwater tunnel (1826-1842)
Under the Thames
Cathode rays discovered
Eli Whitney (1793)'s cotton gin
This separated the useful raw cotton from its seeds, making the cotton industry much more profitable. It had mixed effects — remember how a lot of cotton was farmed using slave labor.
First high explosive that could be safely handled. Useful for mining and clearing areas for infrastructure.
Robert Fulton (1807)'s Clermont
The first successful steamboat. Like the locomotive, made trade so, so much better. For example, now the US could leverage its advantage in having the Mississippi river.
James Watt's efficient steam engine (1765)
Like fifty years later, they finally came out with a steam engine with a condensing chamber, making it more efficient. Also a pretty big deal.
Singer's first practical sewing machine (1851)
Allowed for more sewing, including at-home
Robert Trevithick (1801)'s steam locomotive demonstration
George Stephenson's Rocket, 1829, would lead to great railroad infrastructure, which helped with city planning, made moving to the city easier, and made trade and large-scale commerce much better. For example, now placing factories in population centers made more sense. (I barely understand why myself, but okay)
Allowed for barges to carry coal from Worsely to Manchester
Alexander Graham Bell's telephone (1876)
Thomas Alva Edison's phonograph (1877)
Hiram Maxim's machine gun (1884)
Mass slaughter is now possible, begins mechanization of warfare. Unfortunately, as some predicted, his machine gun did not prevent war — people still fought, despite these monsters being on the battlefield.
Large suspension bridge, "triumph of engineering."
Eiffel Tower (1889)
For the World Exposition in Paris
First transatlantic cable completed
1858
First skyscraper (10 stories tall) (in Chicago)
1883
Helped plant crops
First steam-powered mill (1779)
Reinforced Concrete
Samuel F. B. Morse's telegraph and Morse Code (1837)
This would allow for long-distance communication
Richard Arkwright's water frame (1769)
More efficient thread spinning
Daguerre's daguerrotype (1838)
First commercially successful (though kind of clumsy) steam engine, used to pump water out of coal mines. Big deal, since we've just unlocked a new power source.
Karl Benz's internal-combustion automobile engine (1885)
Thomas Edison (1879)
William Murdock's cool thing he did (1792)
Lit his home using coal gas. Also, he was James Watt's assistant.
Charles Babbage (1834)'s analytic engine
First ancestor of the computer
