Robert Fulton was an American engineer and inventor in the 1800s. He is best known for successfully creating the commercial steamboat, “The North River Steamboat of Clermont.” What some do not know, is that he was also a painter, a canal engineer, a philosopher. Although Robert Fulton did not invent the steamboat, his participation in developing new machines for naval warfare was more significant than his involvement with “The North River Steamboat of Clermont.” In fact, some may say that he was the innovator of naval warfare due to his new inventions and involvement. Fulton was born on November 14, 1765, in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania to Robert Fulton, Senior, and Mary Smith. He was the son of Irish immigrants who had faced hardships in
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He created the submarine, an underwater vessel. He invented the torpedo for naval warfare to be successful under water and discreetly done. Fulton in his early life had no interest in naval warfare. This is seen when Hartenberg says, “Naval matters played no role in the first phase of Robert Fulton’s life” (Hartenberg 4), showing that he did not have any past experience with naval affairs before his canal engineering career. Together naval warfare is what Robert Fulton truly impacted on society and continued to do so through his later life.
In conclusion, Robert Fulton is known as the inventor of the steamboat, while in reality, he should be known as an innovator of naval warfare. He can also be known as the inventor of the submarine or the inventor of the torpedo. Growing up as a farm boy with no relative history to naval affairs, it is surprising that a man can be so successful at something he knew nothing about, by starting a career in canal engineering, because his art career was not going as well as he wanted it to. In all, Fulton was the innovator of naval warfare and is the reason we have such a great naval authority to this
He created the submarine, an underwater vessel. He invented the torpedo for naval warfare to be successful under water and discreetly done. Fulton in his early life had no interest in naval warfare. This is seen when Hartenberg says, “Naval matters played no role in the first phase of Robert Fulton’s life” (Hartenberg 4), showing that he did not have any past experience with naval affairs before his canal engineering career. Together naval warfare is what Robert Fulton truly impacted on society and continued to do so through his later life.
In conclusion, Robert Fulton is known as the inventor of the steamboat, while in reality, he should be known as an innovator of naval warfare. He can also be known as the inventor of the submarine or the inventor of the torpedo. Growing up as a farm boy with no relative history to naval affairs, it is surprising that a man can be so successful at something he knew nothing about, by starting a career in canal engineering, because his art career was not going as well as he wanted it to. In all, Fulton was the innovator of naval warfare and is the reason we have such a great naval authority to this