Consider These Questions

Is the invention/technology still in use?

Has the invention/technology greatly altered or enhanced the quality of life for a majority of Americans? Is it accessible/available to most Americans who need or want it?

Has this invention/technology been used in the development of other modern technologies or influenced the development of other modern technologies?

Would life in America be substantially different if this technology had not been invented? How?

What inventions from 1990 through 2000 do you think are most important?

"Finally, [Borden] hit up upon an idea of greasing the sides of the pan and then putting [milk] into tins. And he finally works out the process.... But in any event, he starts to do this at a moment in which America is becoming urbanized, and one of the problems of urbanization was getting fresh milk into the cities.... A canned good could provide a product that was very much like the natural product that was wholesome and tasty."
— Jonathan Chu

  Primary Sources: Documents

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List of Major Turn-of-the-Century Inventions

This is a list of 25 technological inventions and advances from the 1890s.