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The state of the economy in 1876 was shaped by several key events; one of them being the Coinage Act of 1873.  What the act entailed was the demonetization of silver and the emergence of the gold standard.  The act, branded the “crime of 1873,” was blamed for the five year American depression that lasted from 1873 until 1878.  Passed by a House vote of 110 to 13 and a Senate vote of 36 to 14, the Coinage Act of 1873 initially seemed to be a harmless piece of legislation.  However, shortly after its passing, the effects of the act were felt across the nation.
Focus
I will be doing my research with respect to science and technology’s effects on Cumberland County.  Specifically, I will be discussing the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh exhibitions as well as inventor Daniel Drawbaugh’s personal contributions to science and technology.


With the demonetization of silver came economic hardships for silver miners, which, in turn, led to economic hardships for the U.S. government.  As gold was embraced as the value in which money was based, an overabundance of silver existed having little, if any value.  In an attempt to provide relief to silver miners in 1873 and the years that followed, the U.S. was confronted by economic crisis.
To do this, I will explain the state of science, as a whole, in 1876.  This will allow me to provide context for my topic, showing how much of an impact was felt and possibly what course science took after 1876.


Farmers and peasants were equally hurt by the demonetization of silver.  The values of their debts continued to rise as the value of their crop outputs declined by 3% per year.  Governmental aid could not reach them fast enough and many of these farmers lost everything.
Significance


The sharp rise of the gold to silver ratio also contributed to the growing price and declining value of gold as well as the proportional increase in the costs of goods and services.  Massive deflation of 1.7% per year in the United States and 0.8% per year in the United Kingdom occurred between 1875 and 1896.  In 1876, the Greenback party came into existence with the plan to issue more greenbacks to combat deflation with inflation.  The establishment of the Greenback party ultimately led to the passing of the Bland-Allison bill in 1878.  This bill granted permission to the Treasury to purchase, at market prices, limited amounts of silver.
My goal in completing this research is to discover the relevance that technology had in 1876, as well as gaining a better understanding of how technology arrived where it did.  Daniel Drawbaugh being from Cumberland County is especially interesting in that he made several key discoveries prior to and during 1876.


In 1876, however, the negative effects of the Coinage Act of 1873 were at their worst.  It would not be until 1878 and 1879 that relief in broader terms would come.
The Cumberland County archives has been especially helpful by having patents and other significant documents tracking the progress of Drawbaugh’s career as an inventor/scientist.


[[Image:Coins.jpg]]
Context
 
Having been born in Lower Allen Township, Drawbaugh was possibly the most revered inventor to hail from Cumberland County.  It is important to understand the contributions that he made for society as a whole, but more specifically, his surrounding area.
 
Additionally, through the use of the Cumberland County archives, we can see that controversy followed Drawbaugh throughout his life as a scientist.  Failure to secure a patent for his version of the telephone disqualified him from being able to take credit for its creation.  To a certain extent, this took notoriety away from him with respect to the rest of the science community, despite his claim to have been the initial founder.
 
Perhaps more important than the case Drawbaugh lost to Alexander Graham Bell in 1888 are the contributions that he made to science leading up to and after the 100 year anniversary of our nation.
 
Methodology
 
With regard to methods, most of my data will come directly from the Cumberland County archives.  The extensive records of Drawbaugh’s patents and creations will provide everything that I will need to explain Drawbaugh’s actions, discoveries and purposes as an inventor.
 
The Dickinson College and Cumberland County libraries also contain many resources that I will be able to use to further explore and explain Drawbaugh’s significance to Cumberland County.
 
I am fairly confident that the Dickinson Archives will provide adequate information on science and technology’s places in Cumberland County in 1876.
 
To a lesser extent, the Philadelphia archives will be able to provide me with coverage of the centennial celebrations that occurred in Philadelphia, including the science exhibitions.
 
Timeline
 
This project will be finished on or before the due date.
 
Bibliography
 
“Daniel Drawbaugh Beaten.”  New York Times (New York)  July 3, 19896.
 
“Favorable to Daniel Drawbaugh: Senate Committee on Patents Decides Against the Bell
Company” New York Times (New York)  June 4, 1896.
 
Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania:  Daniel Drawbaugh.      Genealogical Publishing Company (Chicago), 1905.
 
Debate of Patents. U.S. Supreme Court.  Co-operative Publishing Company, 1887.
 
Harder, Warren.  Daniel Drawbaugh: The Edison of Cumberland County. University
Of Pennsylvania Press (Philadelphia, PA) 1960.
 
Patent Model, c.1886.  Eberly Mills, PA.
 
Patent Model c. 1887.  Cumberland County Archives, Carlisle, PA.
 
Patent Model c. 1888. Cumberland County Archives, Carlisle, PA/

Revision as of 13:50, 21 April 2008

Focus I will be doing my research with respect to science and technology’s effects on Cumberland County. Specifically, I will be discussing the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh exhibitions as well as inventor Daniel Drawbaugh’s personal contributions to science and technology.

To do this, I will explain the state of science, as a whole, in 1876. This will allow me to provide context for my topic, showing how much of an impact was felt and possibly what course science took after 1876.

Significance

My goal in completing this research is to discover the relevance that technology had in 1876, as well as gaining a better understanding of how technology arrived where it did. Daniel Drawbaugh being from Cumberland County is especially interesting in that he made several key discoveries prior to and during 1876.

The Cumberland County archives has been especially helpful by having patents and other significant documents tracking the progress of Drawbaugh’s career as an inventor/scientist.

Context

Having been born in Lower Allen Township, Drawbaugh was possibly the most revered inventor to hail from Cumberland County. It is important to understand the contributions that he made for society as a whole, but more specifically, his surrounding area.

Additionally, through the use of the Cumberland County archives, we can see that controversy followed Drawbaugh throughout his life as a scientist. Failure to secure a patent for his version of the telephone disqualified him from being able to take credit for its creation. To a certain extent, this took notoriety away from him with respect to the rest of the science community, despite his claim to have been the initial founder.

Perhaps more important than the case Drawbaugh lost to Alexander Graham Bell in 1888 are the contributions that he made to science leading up to and after the 100 year anniversary of our nation.

Methodology

With regard to methods, most of my data will come directly from the Cumberland County archives. The extensive records of Drawbaugh’s patents and creations will provide everything that I will need to explain Drawbaugh’s actions, discoveries and purposes as an inventor.

The Dickinson College and Cumberland County libraries also contain many resources that I will be able to use to further explore and explain Drawbaugh’s significance to Cumberland County.

I am fairly confident that the Dickinson Archives will provide adequate information on science and technology’s places in Cumberland County in 1876.

To a lesser extent, the Philadelphia archives will be able to provide me with coverage of the centennial celebrations that occurred in Philadelphia, including the science exhibitions.

Timeline

This project will be finished on or before the due date.

Bibliography

“Daniel Drawbaugh Beaten.” New York Times (New York) July 3, 19896.

“Favorable to Daniel Drawbaugh: Senate Committee on Patents Decides Against the Bell Company” New York Times (New York) June 4, 1896.

Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania: Daniel Drawbaugh. Genealogical Publishing Company (Chicago), 1905.

Debate of Patents. U.S. Supreme Court. Co-operative Publishing Company, 1887.

Harder, Warren. Daniel Drawbaugh: The Edison of Cumberland County. University Of Pennsylvania Press (Philadelphia, PA) 1960.

Patent Model, c.1886. Eberly Mills, PA.

Patent Model c. 1887. Cumberland County Archives, Carlisle, PA.

Patent Model c. 1888. Cumberland County Archives, Carlisle, PA/

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