I learned about four inventions this week and they were the steel plow, the steam shovel, the postage stamp, and vulcanized rubber. First, I learned about the steel plow. The scratch plow was the first basic plow. The inventor of the steel plow, John Deere, born in Vermont in 1804, became a blacksmith in 1825. The steel plow breaks up tough soil, bury crops, and help control weeds. His plow made western settlement possible.

Second, I learned about the steam shovel. The inventor of the steam shovel, William Smith Otis, born in Pelham in 1813, became fascinated in mechanical inventions and invented the steam shovel at the age of 22. The steam shovel is a steam powered dirt-moving bucket and controlled by operators. They dug the foundation of the empire state building.

Third, I learned about postage stamps. The UK postal system had problems such as the postage paid by recipients. The inventor of the postage stamp, Rowland Hill, born in England in 1795, went to work for the government and promoted priestly educational reform. Piece of paper with an adhesive backing that shows that postage has been paid. It helped motivate westward expansion. 

Finally, I learned about vulcanized rubber. The inventor of vulcanized rubber, Charles Goodyear, born in Connecticut in 1800, improved a company’s rubber life preservers and he was determined to solve the sticky problem. Vulcanization eliminates the stickiness and the refined rubber is weatherproof. Everything would be different without rubber and was very good for the industrial process.