33. Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison is undoubtedly the most famous inventor in American history. Sure, there is controversy over whether he genuinely invented the light bulb. Many claims that distinction rightly belongs to Nikola Tesla. However, there is no question that many other inventions attributed to Edison have permanently changed humanity.
As a child, Edison did not do well in school, but he loved reading and creating his own experiments in the basement. His phonograph was the first device to record sound and then play it back, and one of his greatest ideas was the creation of movies.
