Thomas Edison :: essays research papers

Thomas Alva Edison Thomas Edison could probably be properly called Mr. Electricity because of the many a(prenominal) inventions and millions of dollars that he used and invested with electricity. From the invention of the light bulb, to the invention of the phonograph Thomas Edison made electricity a reality for the masses. And one of his greatest influences was from his Father a very positive man. A long with the great influence he had upon Americans and the world. He sparked the movement of todays computer ran world. Thomas Edison was born February 11, 1847 in Milan, Ohio. He was the seventh and last child of Samuel Edison, Jr. and Nancy Elliot Edison. His parents had no special mechanical tailground. His mother was a former schoolteacher his father was a jack-of-all-trades - from zip a grocery store to real estate. When Thomas was seven years old, his family moved to Port Huron, Michigan. He was a very curious child who asked a lot of questions. &quotEdison began school in Port Huron, Michigan when he was seven. His teacher, the Reverend G. B. Engle considered Thomas to be a dull student.&quot(Allen pg. 22) Thomas oddly did not like math. And he asked too many questions. The story goes that the teacher whipped students who asked questions. After three months of school, the teacher called Thomas, "addled". Thomas was pissed. The next day, Nancy Edison brought Thomas back to school to talk with Reverend Engle. The teacher told his mother that Thomas couldnt learn. Nancy also became angry at the teachers strict ways. &quotShe took Thomas out of school and heady to home-school him.&quot(Allen pg. 34) It appears he briefly attended two more schools. However, his school attendance was not very good. So nearly all his childishness learning took place at home. Edisons parents loved to read. They read to him works of good literature and history. They had many books that young Tom eagerly devoured. Before he was 12, he had read works by Dick ens and Shakespeare, Edward Gibbons Fall of the Roman Empire and Decline, and more. Nancy Edison encouraged her curious son to learn things for himself. His parents were dedicated to teaching their children. They did not draw in him to learn about things he didnt enjoy. So he learned about things that interested him the most. When Thomas was nine Nancy Edison gave him an elementary science book. It explained how to do chemistry experiments at home.