Robert Fulton

Robert Fulton (1765–1815) was an American engineer, inventor, and artist best known for developing the first commercially successful steamboat. Born in Little Britain, Pennsylvania, he began his career as a miniature painter before turning his attention to mechanical inventions. While living in Europe, he worked on canal engineering and early designs for submarines and torpedoes, gaining support from both British and French patrons.

Upon returning to the United States, Fulton partnered with Robert R. Livingston to build the Clermont, which successfully traveled up the Hudson River in 1807, revolutionizing water transportation. His innovations in steam navigation transformed commerce and travel in the early 19th century, establishing Fulton as one of America’s foremost pioneers of applied engineering.