We are starting a new unit project, which is the second one in the same unit, Inventions and Inventors, and this time, we are investigating inventions that we chose for ourselves, an in my case, it is gum, chewing gum and bubble gum. The unit question is How do inventors come up with ideas and create their inventions? After investigating and planning, each person in the class has to come up with their own way to present our research and invention. Because I want to improve my essay writing skills and I believe that it is a great way so I will present mine in an essay form. However some people think that it is too dull if I do it, so I’m hesitating and thinking about maybe creating a poster.
There is not specific inventor of the chewing gum because it has been around for ages. To be more specific, it has been around since the Neolithic Period, which is about 5,000 years ago. Birch barks with human teeth imprints have been found. These types of barks were believed to reduce infection and other medicinal advantages. After the Neolithic’s, the ancient Aztecs used chicle as the base for producing a gum-like product. Women used these products to freshen their mouths, as men did not believe in this “nonsense”.
Different forms of chewing gum were originated in different places such as the Ancient Greece and American Indians. The ancient Greeks used to chew mastic gum, made out from the resin from the mastic tree. The American Indians chewed on Resin from the sap of spruce trees and when the New England settlers saw this, they tries to commercially market spruce gums, and this was in the early 1800’s. A gum made from paraffin was originated around the 1850 and became more popular than the spruce gum.
Glee Gum from the United States of America was the last factory to make gums out of chicle.
In the early 1800’s, two brothers, Henry and Frank Fleer, began to do experiments with chicle, which is the sticky substance found inside a sapodilla tree. Henry Fleer covered the tasteless surface of chicle with sugar coating. Meanwhile, Brother Frank made a recipe for the world’s first bubble gum ever, and even though it was very popular in their neighborhood, their gum was never aired and marketed. So it never took off.
In 1848, another two brothers, the Curtis brothers were trying to make the same product in Maine. They used a Franklin Stove and spruce tree resin and they sold chewing gum for the first time in human history. After 2 years of moderate success the two brothers left Maine to work on their gum recipe and even opened their own factory named the Curtis Chewing Gum Factory.
Around the same time, Thomas Adams, a photographer from New York gave a shot in the gum business, and by 1871, he had so many orders coming in, he came up with an idea; a gum giving machine, which is today known as Gumball Machine. Later in the year, Thomas came up with an idea about a flavored gum. He added licorice to his gums and named them “Black Jack”.
In 1880, John Colgan, a druggist from Kentucky, added sugar to the chicle making it a sweeter treat. After Colgan, many people started coming up with new ideas to contribute to the gum idea. Walter Diemer accidentally discovered how to make a bubble gum, Beeman came up with a gum which would relieve indigestion and heartburn. Frank Canning sold a dental gum named “Dentyne”, Adams & Sons sold an after dinner candy, and Clove’s gum was made for those who drink illegally and the gum would freshen their breaths.
Because, everyone in the class could write up the design specification now, it will be so much easier for us in the end or along the process of actually making the poster. Whilst making my poster, I will know exactly what my goals are and whether if I reached them or not.
Citation
1. Chewing Gum." Wikipedia. 23 February 2010. Wikipedia Foundation Inc.,, Web. 23 Feb 2010.
2. Ament, Phil. "Chewing Gum." The Great Idea inder. 2 february 2007. The Great Idea Finder, Web. 23 Feb 2010.
3. Ament, Phil. "Bubble Gum." The Great Idea Finder. 26 June 2006. The Great Idea Finder, Web. 23 Feb 2010.
5. "The History of Chewing Gum." essortment. 2002. N.D., Web. 23 Feb 2010.
6. ESLlibrary.com. Chewing Gum. Red River Press Inc., 2007
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