What Was Thomas Edison's Accomplishments

“Just because something doesn’t do what you planned it to do doesn’t mean it’s useless.” (Edison) Thomas Alva Edison always had a creative mind, even as a child. He was able to find work at the age of 12 selling newspapers to passengers riding the Grand Trunk Railroad line. He used his access to convert one of the unused train cars into a makeshift lab, in which he performed various experiments. He promptly caused a chemical fire in the car, resulting in him being fired. While he was working there, he saved a child on the train tracks from an oncoming train, and the child’s father rewarded young Thomas by teaching him how to operate a telegraph. By age 15, he had learned enough to be employed as a telegraph operator. Throughout his life, his drive and creativity would be what caused him to become an American icon. Thomas Edison was an American revolutionary because he opened the doors to many advances in modern technology. Edison was successful partly due to how he handled his work environment. He had a sporadic way of thinking, jumping from one idea to the next at the drop of a hat. “He …show more content…
history due to his inventions and his legacy. His philosophies did and continue to imprint on creators across America. “His (Edison’s) ability to reason by analogy and to learn from failure are certainly examples of traits that should be useful to people of all sorts of talents and occupations.” (McAuliffe) To this day, people can still take away from Edison’s story, and continue to grow, following his example. Edison and his story continues to inspire other creators to strive for success themselves. “Edison’s career was the quintessential rags-to-riches story that him a folk hero in America.” (“Edison”) Different people can look at Edison’s life and feel inspired that a man can go from nothing to being one of the most recognised people in American history. Edison was an amazing man who rose from next to nothing to becoming an American