Thomas Edison

Thomas Edison

A Curious Boy Thomas Edison loved to question things. He loved to learn how things worked. He also loved to make things work better. Many people think of him as one of the greatest inventors of all time.

Young Al Thomas Alva Edison was born on February 11, 1847. Al, as he was called, did not do well in school. He wanted to question and explore. At that time, school was mostly about remembering facts. Al's mom took him out of school and taught him at home. She taught him to love to read.

Al sold food and newspapers on trains when he was twelve years old. He used the money he earned to buy books and materials for experiments. He set up a lab in a train car. Also around this time, Al lost most of his hearing. When he was fifteen, Al saved a boy's life. The boy was about to be run over by a boxcar when Al grabbed him. The child's father offered to teach Al how to be a telegraph operator. As Al grew older, he traveled around as a telegraph operator. He continued to be interested in science.

Edison the Inventor Edison wanted to invent things full- time. He invented ways to make the telegraph better. He earned his first patent, for an electric vote counter, in 1869. The invention did not do well. Edison continued to invent. He said he would not give up, no matter what happened.

A New Lab Edison began building and selling some of his inventions. In 1876, he built a lab in Menlo Park, New Jersey. It was the first research lab in the world built to make money. Many people called it the “ invention factory. " Edison and his workers were there many hours each day.