Did Thomas Edison invent the first light bulb?

No. Sir Joseph Swann of England and Thomas Edison both developed workable electric incandescent lamps during the 1870s. Edison's lamp became the first commercially successful incandescent lamp (circa 1879). Edison received U.S. Patent 223,898 for his incandescent lamp in 1880.However, contrary to popular belief, Edison did not "invent" the first lightbulb, he improved upon a 50-year-old idea and marketed it. Canadians Henry Woodward and Matthew Evans patented a light bulb in 1875, but could not raise the financing to commercialize their invention. Edison bought the rights to their patent