Timeline of United States inventions (before 1890)

Lore & Background

The timeline begins with swim fins, invented by Benjamin Franklin, though the earliest known documentation is from a 1773 letter, making earlier dates unsupported. Franklin's original design consisted of 10-inch-long and 6-inch-wide wooden palettes intended for use on the hands, shaped like lily pads or an artist's paint palette. In 1730, Thomas Godfrey of Philadelphia invented the octant, also called a reflecting quadrant, independently at the same time as English mathematician John Hadley; both men have an equal claim to the invention. The Franklin stove was invented by Benjamin Franklin in 1742, a metal-lined fireplace with baffles that improved airflow and provided more heat and less smoke than an open fireplace. The lightning rod was conceived by Benjamin Franklin in 1749 or 1750 after he concluded that electricity and lightning were identical; its practical use was confirmed in 1752 when Franklin flew an electrical kite with a metal key during a storm. In 1752, Franklin invented the flexible urinary catheter for his brother John, who suffered from bladder stones; it was made of a flexible silver tube with a wire coil, not hinged or articulated silver segments. In 1761, Franklin invented the armonica, a musical instrument of 37 glass bowls mounted on a rotating spindle, played with moistened fingers.

Reader's Guide

The timeline reflects the inventive spirit of the United States from the Colonial Period to the Gilded Age, with many contributions from Benjamin Franklin, who appears repeatedly. These inventions were protected under evolving U.S. patent law, beginning with the Patent Act of 1790 signed by President George Washington, which authorized patents for any useful art, manufacture, engine, machine, or device not before known or used. The Patent Act of 1836 established a patent office and set a patent term of 14 years with a possible 7-year extension. The Uruguay Round Agreements Act of 1994 later changed the term to 20 years, aligning U.S. law with international standards. The inventions listed—such as the octant, Franklin stove, mail order, lightning rod, flexible catheter, armonica, swivel chair, and flatboat—demonstrate a range of practical, navigational, medical, and musical innovations that shaped daily life and industry. The swivel chair, invented by Thomas Jefferson in 1776, was used while drafting the Declaration of Independence. The flatboat, invented in 1782, was a rectangular boat with a flat bottom for freight and passengers.

Did You Know?

• The first patent in North America was issued in 1641 to Samuel Winslow by the General Court of Massachusetts for a new method of making salt.
• The first U.S. patent was granted on July 31, 1790, to Samuel Hopkins of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for an improved method of making pot and pearl ashes.
• Benjamin Franklin's swim fins are often associated with his youth, but the earliest known documentation is from a 1773 letter, so the exact date is uncertain.
• Thomas Godfrey, an American glazier, invented the octant in 1730, independently of English mathematician John Hadley.