Robert Fulton was an American engineer, inventor, and artist who brought steamboating from the experimental stage to commercial success.Robert Fulton was born in a poor family in Pennsylvania. His family lost their farms and was forced to move to Lancaster. After few years he lost his father.

Since; childhood Robert Fulton loved to built things and experiment. At a very small age, he built his lead pencil, mechanical paddles for his boat. Robert Fulton was also a good artist. At the age of 15, he went to work for a silversmith as an apprentice. later, he moved to Philadelphia to pursue a career as an artist. At this point, he was able to make money by painting portraits and bought a small farm for his mother. He also met several famous people including Benjamin Franklin. In 1786, he moved to Europe to gear up his career. He studied science and mathematics and shifted his interest from art to the invention. he specially developed an interest in canals and ships. He came up with new ways to dredge canals, raise and lower boats, and design bridges. He also invented a tool for spinning flax into linen and the machine to saw marble.

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