Today in History–June 3–the Library of Congress features the invention of the photophone on this date in 1880 by Alexander Graham Bell. Although more famously known for the telephone, the photophone transmitted sound on a beam of light. This technology with the precursor to fiber optics which today transmits voice and data communications at the speed of light….
Check out a larger view of this map. Is this the view you would see from the northern or the southern hemisphere? How do you know? What were or will be the dates of the moon phases for April of this year? If you can, print out this map and follow the directions in the bottom, left…
Today in History–March 10–the Library of Congress features Alexander Graham Bell, who made the first successful telephone call to his assistant Thomas Watson on this date in 1876. An audiologist, speech therapist and teacher of the deaf, Bell’s knowledge of the nature of sound likely encourage his experimentation. Another Bell invention was a metal detector, that was created to help…
From America’s Library: Born: About 1864 (exact date is unknown) Died: January 5, 1943 George Washington Carver was born a slave in Diamond Grove, Missouri, around 1864. He is one of the nation’s most famous agricultural scientists. He is best known for his research on peanuts and his commitment to helping poor Southern African American farmers. Carver…
Directory Instructions for placing a telephone call. A careful observance of the following will aid materially in securing good service: To call Central Office, give the bell crank one sharp turn; then take the hand telephone from the hook; place it firmly against the ear and listen for the operator, who should answer, “What number?”…
Today in History–November 18–the Library of Congress features time. On this day in 1883, precisely at noon, North American railroads switched to Standard Railway Time (SRT). SRT was quickly adopted throughout the United States, resulting in the creation of four national time zones: eastern, central, mountain and Pacific. A year later, at an international conference in…
The Library of Congress has custody of the largest and most comprehensive cartographic collection in the world and there are so many places you can visit with the Library of Congress’ fabulous digitized map collections. Take a look at the wide variety of maps you can explore in incredible detail and discover engaging primary source…
Today in History–October 28–the Library of Congress features editor and president of the National Geographic Society, Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor, born on this date in 1875. Just 9 years after immigrating from Turkey to the United States, Grosvenor began working as an assistant editor at National Geographic upon the recommendation of family friend Alexander Graham Bell. Just four years…
Today in History–September 30–the Library of Congress features electricity. On this day in 1882, the first hydroelectric central station in the world began operation on the Fox River in Appleton, Wisconsin. This and other hydroelectric plants provided inexpensive electricity, spurring industrial growth in many regions of the country around the turn of the 20th century. Find out…
Access this newspaper page online and zoom into the cartoon, what inventions are referenced in the comic? Now read the article. Are the same inventions referenced in the text? What other inventions does the article discuss? List the inventions discussed in the article that are a reality today. Compare and contrast one of the predicted inventions…