American History

History has always been fascinating to me.  I've always been interested in how events of the past have effected so many events of the future.  I've also been amazed at how many events have gone misinterpreted or just missed at all as to their importance.  I've also been amazed at how many inventors were given credit (well deserved) for their inventions but in may cases were lucky enough to get that credit since there were many other investors that were working on the same thing at the same time...that just didn't get there first.  Many may have never gotten there, but many may have just missed being the first if at had not been for some strange event, bad luck or timing.  In some cases, many actually, these "second or third place finishers" actually went on to be more famous and develop much better versions than the "first" in their class.  This is all part of History, and what makes each event only a part of it...not all of it.

A great example of this is the Wright Brother's First Flight.  Most are aware that the Wright Brothers are famous for being the first at powered controlled flight.  What many are not aware of is just how many other inventors across the world were "racing" each other to be the first...and how many had made attempts just before the Wright Brothers succeeded with their's.  Once the Wright Brothers succeeded, it was many others that had in fact improved upon what the wright Brothers had done...very soon after.  What is missed through all of this, is probably the most important invention to powered flight that the Wright Brothers  contributed...the variable pitch propeller.  It was that propeller that separated the Wright Brothers from the others in that race, and it was that same propeller, and the lack of a patent on it (ohhh Wilber) that allowed the others catch up so fast.

History is a funny thing.  It's what we find below the surface that is probably the most interesting and influential to future Historical events.



Race to the Sky: The Wright Brothers Versus the United States Government