Last month we asked you what one item you would bring with you if you were transported back to the Revolutionary War era, like the characters in Kevin Ikenberry’s The Crossing. Congrats to Miles R.! He wins a signed copy of the book!

If I went back to the Revolutionary War, I would bring back a working steam locomotive. The technology would not be too advanced for the likes of Jefferson or Benjamin Franklin to reverse engineer. This should kick off the Industrial Revolution several decades early, making America its birth place instead of Britain. With this advantage, the War of 1812 would turn out far more in favor of the USA and catapult America to a serious world power over a century early. If industry was widespread enough, it might help lead to the early, peaceful ending of slavery like in Britain.