Heather: What were the religious and or philosophical beliefs at this time?
Alexander Miles: During the time of my invention, blacks and whites were seperated and blacks were enslaved. There was very little religious freedom but it was predominetly christian. While blacks were enslaved, they were punished for practicing religion. I myself, am and was a methodist.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Question #8
Heather: What was the state of "the academy" of science and how did this impact the scientist's work?
Alexander Miles: When I started getting interested in improving the elevator, it was about the beginning of the industrial era. Not many people had taken much interest in the elevator so much of what i did was a huge impact on its history. I think that if more people would've taken interest in it, there would not have been much room for improvement for me.
Alexander Miles: When I started getting interested in improving the elevator, it was about the beginning of the industrial era. Not many people had taken much interest in the elevator so much of what i did was a huge impact on its history. I think that if more people would've taken interest in it, there would not have been much room for improvement for me.
Question #7
Heather: What was the state of knowledge that exsisted in the areas of study during the time of your work on the elevator shaft?
Alexander Miles: Well, when i first got interested in improving the elevator, I found that not many people had found much interest in it before me. Most of my ideas however, were built mainly off of the work that Sir William Armstrong had done on the elevator. He invented the first hydraulic crane, which led to the invetnion of the first electric elevator toward the end of the 19th century which was built by German inventor Werner von Siemens. So, I would say that I had a lot of really good ideas to go off of, but I do think that I improved the safety of the elevator greatly.
Alexander Miles: Well, when i first got interested in improving the elevator, I found that not many people had found much interest in it before me. Most of my ideas however, were built mainly off of the work that Sir William Armstrong had done on the elevator. He invented the first hydraulic crane, which led to the invetnion of the first electric elevator toward the end of the 19th century which was built by German inventor Werner von Siemens. So, I would say that I had a lot of really good ideas to go off of, but I do think that I improved the safety of the elevator greatly.
Question #6
Heather: Did you have any limitations as a scientist or a person?
Alexander Miles: As a scientist I wouldn't say that I had very many limitations becasue even in the times that I lived in where it was very difficult to get along with whites, other scientists were not racial as you would expect them to be. I even found myself making frinds with white scientists. As a person however, things were a bit more difficult. In a time like this, people are not very optimistic to a black man inventing something that could potentially protect them in the long run. Although some people were not as open to the idea of a black scientist as others, I still made it and to this day my invention is still used and people even build off of it.
Alexander Miles: As a scientist I wouldn't say that I had very many limitations becasue even in the times that I lived in where it was very difficult to get along with whites, other scientists were not racial as you would expect them to be. I even found myself making frinds with white scientists. As a person however, things were a bit more difficult. In a time like this, people are not very optimistic to a black man inventing something that could potentially protect them in the long run. Although some people were not as open to the idea of a black scientist as others, I still made it and to this day my invention is still used and people even build off of it.
Question #5
Heather: What were your major accomplishments as an inventor?
Alexander Miles: I would say that my biggest and most obvious accomplishment as an inventor was the improvments that I made on the elevator shaft. I attached a belt to the elevator cage so that when the belt came into contact with the drums positioned along the elevator shaft just above and below the floors, it allowed the elevator shaft doors to operate at the appropriate times. Before working with the elevator though, I dod experiment with hair products, I even owned my own Barber Shop. So I think its safe to say that i've had a lot of accomplishments, and I take pride in all of them
Alexander Miles: I would say that my biggest and most obvious accomplishment as an inventor was the improvments that I made on the elevator shaft. I attached a belt to the elevator cage so that when the belt came into contact with the drums positioned along the elevator shaft just above and below the floors, it allowed the elevator shaft doors to operate at the appropriate times. Before working with the elevator though, I dod experiment with hair products, I even owned my own Barber Shop. So I think its safe to say that i've had a lot of accomplishments, and I take pride in all of them
Question #4
Heather: How were Gender and class divided during this time? Were you treated differently because you were black?
Alexander Miles: Around the time that I submitted my ideas for the elevator, the Jim Crow Laws were passed by State Governments throughout the South. These laws seperated Blacks into different everything from Whites. We had different trains that we had to ride on. We were forced to attend different churches, hospitals, hotels, schools, etc. We were also denied any right to vote. The Ku Klux Klan was also very popular about these times. I was very concerned for my family's safety a lot. Fortunately, aside from being treated poorly compared to whites, we were never treated any different from other blacks. I wouldn't consider myself to be a wealthy man, but I believe myself to be rather well off and as far as the whites went, they pretty much just minded themselves unless they absolutley had to be involved with us.
Alexander Miles: Around the time that I submitted my ideas for the elevator, the Jim Crow Laws were passed by State Governments throughout the South. These laws seperated Blacks into different everything from Whites. We had different trains that we had to ride on. We were forced to attend different churches, hospitals, hotels, schools, etc. We were also denied any right to vote. The Ku Klux Klan was also very popular about these times. I was very concerned for my family's safety a lot. Fortunately, aside from being treated poorly compared to whites, we were never treated any different from other blacks. I wouldn't consider myself to be a wealthy man, but I believe myself to be rather well off and as far as the whites went, they pretty much just minded themselves unless they absolutley had to be involved with us.
Question #3
Heather: What artists, musicians, and writers were working at about the same time as when you improved the elevator shaft?
Alexander Miles: Steven Crane was a very famous writer about the same time that I did my work on the elevator shaft. I read a lot of his books including, "Whilomville Stories ," and "The Blue Hotel" . Most of this time period was considered the "Romantic Era" for music. Many famous composers became greatly recognized including Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov; who is best known for his piece "Flight of The Bumblebee."
Alexander Miles: Steven Crane was a very famous writer about the same time that I did my work on the elevator shaft. I read a lot of his books including, "Whilomville Stories ," and "The Blue Hotel" . Most of this time period was considered the "Romantic Era" for music. Many famous composers became greatly recognized including Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov; who is best known for his piece "Flight of The Bumblebee."
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