Robert Fulton
An engineer and inventor who is credited with developing a steamboat
Real World Example
Robert Fulton was an American engineer and inventor who is best known for developing the first commercially successful steamboat, the Clermont, in 1807. His invention revolutionized transportation by making it faster and more reliable, helping to expand trade and settlement as the United States grew. At the time, Fulton's steamboat allowed goods and people to travel against river currents, opening up new economic opportunities and connecting distant communities. Today, his legacy lives on in modern transportation, as steamboats paved the way for further innovations like steam trains and eventually automobiles. For example, when people take a cruise or use ferries for travel, they are benefiting from the advancements in water transportation that Fulton helped to initiate.
