The US Patent office has granted more than six million patents since 1790. During the late 18th century the number of inventors in America started outpacing many other countries. In the second half of the 19th century, inventors like Thomas Alva Edison led by example. The result was that very soon American inventors became a potent force in fuelling rapid industrial growth.

From phonograms to computers, American inventors have provided the world with several technological breakthroughs that have changed the way people live.

The list of American inventors is a long one and it continues to grow. So it is difficult to name the best inventors, as every inventor has in one way or the other left an impact on society. The Wright brothers (Orville and Wilbur) invented the airplane, which is considered the most important invention of 20th century. Both brothers were from Ohio.

Another Ohio-based inventor was Charles Martin Hall, who invented the process of manufacturing aluminum with the electrolytic method. If we look around there will be hardly any production process in which aluminum is not used. Henry Ford is another famous American inventor. His work revolutionized the whole automobile industry. Today automobiles are an inherent part of our everyday life and no society can survive without them.

Jonas Salk is another famous American inventor. He is known for inventing the polio vaccine, and his groundbreaking findings on influenza and other infectious diseases. No talk about famous American inventors can considered to be complete without Alexander Graham Bell, who invented the telephone in 1876 at the age of 29, and Thomas Alva Edison, whose list of inventions exceed more than 1,000. Much has written about them, but there are many American inventors who invented significant things ranging from sewing machines to computers and modern telecommunication technology. They remain unsung though they did a great service to the mankind.