Pioneers of the 1920's
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There were many pioneers in the 1920's, but the some most prominent were in the medical and transportation fields. Pioneers like Sir Alexander Fleming, Ford and Amelia Earhart all made important contribution in their fields.
Penicillin 1928
Sir Alexander Fleming Working on the Penicillin
Invented in 1928, Penicillin was one of the first antibiotics ever made. Scientist Sir Alexander Fleming invented it after doing an intensive study on the life of bacteria. Though it wasn't a famous, widely known medicine at first, it drastically helped reduce the number of bacteria orientated deaths in the United States in decades to come.
Due to the fact that Penicillin was invented during the aftermath of World War I, it was extremely expensive for people in need to purchase it. The fact that it was illegal didn't help, as enough testing hadn’t been done on it to be approved by the FDA. Though the invention of Penicillin didn't help the general public at first, it did start research on whole new area of medicine. After the invention scientists who believed it was a worthy medication started to test it on other forms of bacteria, too. Nevertheless, there were many scientists who opposed the development of Penicillin.
In addition to opposing scientists, many people wouldn’t support it too. They believed that since it wasn't a legal drug, it wouldn’t come to any use for them. And people who really needed it weren't able to pay for it. The non-supporters didn’t realize they were slowing down the extending popularity of a great invention.
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Henry Ford
An Advertisement for Henry Ford's Car
In the early 1920’s, people were just getting used to cars. A lot of young people wanted cars because they wanted the freedom and excitement that came when they drove cars. Older people wanted cars so that they could travel to their family and friends who lived far away faster or so that they could go to work faster.
The first car with a combustion engine was invented by Henry Ford. Earlier cars were built with steam engines and they were invented by Richard Dudgeon. Henry Ford founded the Ford Motor Company not long after he created cars with combustion engines. In 1927, he invented the Model T. The Model T was a big success and Henry Ford made a lot of money.
Henry Ford was best known for building the first affordable car. Before he came along, cars were expensive and only rich people were able to buy them. Henry Ford managed to sell cars for a cheaper price and everyone was able to afford one for themselves
Although Henry Ford found a way to build these automobiles in a faster and cheaper way, he was not the person who actually invented the car. No one knows for sure who invented the actual first car.
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Amelia Earhart
Amelia Earhart is known today as a famous woman aviator of the 1920’s. In 1920, she rode an airplane for the first time. She rode for only 10 minutes, but already she loved flying. She had heard about a flying teacher named Neta Snook and she was interested in taking lessons. In 1922, she set a woman’s altitude record of 14,000 feet.
In 1926, Amelia Earhart received a phone call from Captain H. H. Railey asking her if she wanted to be the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. Amelia said yes, but she was only going to be the passenger on the flight.
In 1928, Amelia flew a solo flight from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast in order to attend the National Air Races. The National Air Races were races that people took using airplanes. In 1929, Amelia organized a cross-country air race for women pilots. She became the President of the Los Angeles to Cleveland Woman’s Race Derby.
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