Innovators: The Reaper

​The Reaper

Cyrus

M^C Cormick

The McCormicks, A family buisness

• McCormick was born on February 15, 1809, in Rockbridge county, Virginia.

• Both father and son thought about ways to reduce the amount of workers needed for harvesting grain.

• By 1834 Cyrus took out a patent on his reaper.

Keep on improving

1. McCormick improved his reaper over time.

2. By 1850 his reaper was known throughout the country.

3. In the following years his invention won prizes in London, England, and Paris, France.

4. McCormick remained president of his company until his death. He died in Chicago on May 13, 1884.

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Early Life:

• Cyrus was born on a farm in Rockbridge County, Virginia, in _____________.

• His father, Robert McCormick, was a farmer, ____________________, and blacksmith.

• As a young boy, Cyrus had very little schooling. He spent a lot of time in his father's workshop. Robert tried to build a ___________________ to harvest crops, but he was not successful.

Work:

• Cyrus built his first reaper in _________ . He tested and improved his new machine. Cyrus took out a patent for his _____________________________ in 1834. 

• He did not begin to sell his reaper until 1840. At first sales were slow, but from the years 1840 to 1844 Cyrus sold __________ reapers. 

• His invention was very popular because it helped farmers harvest more_______________ . It also helped farmers make more money.

• Cyrus was ________________________________ of the McCormick Harvesting Company until his death on May 13, 1884.

contributions

• Cyrus McCormick was an inventor and entrepreneur. His invention of the reaper made grain harvesting easier and faster. 

• ________________________  reapers like the ones built by the McCormick family will always be remembered for the speed and efficiency that they brought to the harvesting of American farmland during the late nineteenth century.