Spotlight on inventor Elijah McCoy.
McCoy, on a side note, represents a continuous challenge in countries claiming figures. McCoy was born in Ontario to an American family and returned to the USA when he was a child. He patented inventions in several countries. So. Does place of birth trump all? If so, then, Canada can't claim Alexander Graham Bell who was born in Scotland. Our claims to him is based on him living and inventing the phone here - something the Americans dispute. Naismith was born in Ontario but invented basketball in Massachusetts.
France and Italy are two countries that have a few notable figures in common. For example, the Bugatti's, Lully brothers, Jean Alessi, Michel Platini (and a quite a few others) and of course, Napoleon Bonaparte. Each possessing an Italian heritage somewhere along their family ancestry.
Just wondering why we care what country (or city/town) someone lived in when they invented some device or procedure.
ReplyDeleteI think like for anything, we like to plot and label the origins of things. I like to know just as a point of reference but it's useless to fight over someone.
ReplyDeleteGreeks and Macedonians have a fierce battle over Alexander the Great that sometimes leads to fights I've heard.
...and the government cares by the way for their own propaganda reasons.
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