During the late 19th century the Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, made gradually made added power to their Gliders to make the first Wright Flyer. In 1904, the Wright brothers successfully flew a powered, piloted airplane. This historic flight dramatically contributed to the world and to what it is today from just commercial flying to military use.
During the early 20th century, the Wright brothers made a series of airplanes gradually perfecting their aircraft named the Flyer. The Flyer, designed and built by the Wright brothers, was one step in a broad experimental program that began in 1899 with their first kite and concluded in 1904, when they built the first truly practical airplane. This aircraft gave the pilot 5 full minutes of air time with adequate control of the aircraft.
What made the Wright brothers’ aircraft unique was the ability to roll the wings right or left, to pitch the nose up or down, and to yaw the nose from side to side. This development in engineering was the Wrights’ greatest contribution to aviation. To fly the airplane, the pilot must lay prone with his head facing forward, his left hand operating the elevator control. Lateral control was achieved by warping the wing tips in opposite directions using wires attached to a hip cradle mounted on the lower wing. The pilot shifted his hips from side to side to operate the mechanism, which also moved the rudder.
Throughout the early 20th century new technology was booming and all that was missing was the ability to fly. The Wright brothers never claimed to be the first to fly although they were the first to design and build a craft that gave the pilot full control of the air. This piece in the history of technology really made an impact to where the world is today.
http://www.nasm.si.edu/exhibitions/gal100/wright1903.html
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0872854.html
http://inventors.about.com/od/wstartinventors/a/TheWrightBrother.htm
Technology in American History 
Interesting! 10.