People who helped shape our nation

People who helped shape our nation





















It’s hard to imagine a life without the contributions of the countless people that have helped to shape our nation. From scientific discoveries to technological inventions to dreams of equality, there’s no doubt that we’ve come a long way since our ancestors first arrived here on a ship. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of great thinkers whose ideas dramatically improved our quality of life. In my opinion, three of the most influential people that helped turned the United States into the wonderful nation it is today include Benjamin Franklin, Henry Ford, and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Benjamin Franklin had many accomplishments that bettered our lives. He is credited with establishing the first library and helping to create the postal system, as well as several inventions like bifocal glasses, wood stoves, and an early version of an indoor toilet. He was one of the founding fathers that helped draft the Constitution. His contribution that had the greatest impact on changing the world was his experiments with electricity. Franklin's book, Experiments and Observations on Electricity, was one of the most reprinted scientific books of the time. In his book, he discussed the principles of electricity that became the basis of our modern electrical theory. His work was so revolutionary that in 1756 he was awarded the Copley Medal. It has been said that the reason he is featured on the hundred dollar bill is because we don’t have a thousand dollar bill.

Henry Ford’s greatest contribution wasn’t just the Model T car. He developed the idea of an assembly line which made production easier and less expensive, and in turn made his automobiles more affordable. By lowering the cost of his cars, he actually lowered the entry point into the middle class. Also, he is credited with developing the idea of minimum wage. At the time, most places paid their employees incredibly low...

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