19th Century Inventions
A Research Project
Many capable, imaginative inventors and entrepreneurs helped improve business or life in the 1800s. Your job is to research an inventor from the 1800s, prepare a short biography of the inventor, describe the problem that the invention overcame and describe how the invention solved the problem. Essentially the invention made something easier, faster or safer. Follow the outline below for successful completion of the project.
PROJECT DUE DATE: March
- Choose an inventor/invention from the list provided. Only one person per inventor, per class.
- Search the internet, your textbook, and the library to research your topic choice.
- Your invention choice should answer one or more of the following questions:
- How did this invention make something that was difficult, easy?
- How did this invention make something slow, faster?
- How did this invention make something harmful, safer?
- How did this invention make something once considered impossible, possible?
- The answer to the question, or questions, is your thesis and it will be given in your introduction.
- Document your sources used. You will need to put together a works cited page
- Use the “Invention Research Paper Worksheet” to help gather notes for your paper
- Do not start writing your paper until you have completed all your research.
- Write your paper
- Paper must be at least 5 paragraphs typed, double-spaced
- Your paper should include the following:
- Paragraph 1 Introduction:
- Hook, background, arguments, thesis
- Paragraphs 2 – 4 Body Paragraphs:
- Paragraph 2 - Biographic information of inventor
- Paragraph 3 – Problem invention solved/history of invention
- Paragraph 4 – Impact/how problem(s) solved with invention
- Paragraph 5 Conclusion:
- Wrap up your ideas, provide a closing point
- Paragraph 1 Introduction:
- Finish your works cited!
- Finish works cited page
- Alphabetize entries, and indent each second line
- Put the works cited page at the end of your report
- You will need at least 3 sources (1 must be a book)
- Use proper MLA Heading
- No pictures needed
- 12 point font, Times New Roman
- Title, centered