Film and Animation History

Persistence of Vision
"The Persistence of vision with regard to moving objects" A paper published by Peter Roget in 1824 which states a theory that "The eyes retina retains an image briefly after it disappears, if images that differ slightly are flashed in rapid succession they appear in the brain as one continuous image."
This theory lead to all Cinema, Television and Animation.

Tools that produced animation throughout history pre-1900

Cave paintings (between 40,000 and 14,000 BC)
5200 year old bowl design with patterns that move when spun
Greek Vase Decorations (400 BC)
Thaumatrope (1825), A toy consisting of a disc with different pictures on both side with string attached to it, when spun, the images would merge visually.
Phenakistiscope (1831), a large disc consisting of multiple small images around the edges, so when spun the images would move.
Zoetrope (1865), a cylindrical tube with small images placed on the inner surface, so when spun the images would move.
Praxinscope (1877), Similar to the Zoetrope, the Praxinscope is also a cylinder with pictures on the inside that spins to produce motion. however the visual is improved as mirrors are placed in the middle of the cylinder.
Motion Photographs (1882),  French Scientist Etienne-Jules Marley invented the Chronophotographic gun, which showed humans and animals in motion, The gun produced 12 photos per second on a photographic plate.
Kineoscope (1888), a device invented by Thomas Edison and developed further by William Kennedy Dickinson that you'd look into through a viewfinder an see an animation with 46 frames per second.

Important Names In History Between 1887 to 1905

Louis Aime Augustin Le Prince (1887), created the single lens camera and perfected a projection device using  'Maltese cross movement'.
Lumieres Brothers (1895), Invented the Cinematographe, they created the first commertual breakthrough merging photography and projection into one machine. They used 35mm film at 16 frames per second (captured image).
Emile Reynaud (1892), Pauve Pierrot, 1st Animation in the world.
Edweard Muybridge (1892), Creates a photographic sequence to support the theory of 'unsupported transit', to show that at some point a horses hooves do not touch the ground at some point in there run. He used 12 stethoscope cameras activated by trip wires to take the images.
Henry Whitehouse (1895) First exhibited a motion picture in Auckland, New Zealand. (1898) First New Zealand film.
Alice Guy (1896), France. First female director. Directed the Cabbage Patch Fairy. One of the first films to have a plot.
Thomas Edison (1897), Created the first film advertisement. Edison also wanted to produce more 'bizarre' entertainment, He produce a bunch of small films to show of exaggerated Masculinity and stylized sensuality.
Arthur Melbourne-Cooper (1899), true animation/stop motion, Created 'Matches, an Appeal'. (1904) made 'The Enchanted Tower'. (1908) made Dreams of Toyland.
Edwin S.Porter, USA, (1903) Directed 'The life of the American Foreman' that contained many technical innovations. He also Directed 'The Great Train Robbery' which presents the basic conventions of the western genre.
Segundo De Chomon (1905), Spain. Credited for making the 'dolly'. He created 'The Electric Hotel' which was an early breakthrough of stop frame and real life in the same movie.
Windsor Mccay, USA, (1911), Directed 'Little Nemo' which was fully animated. (1911) Also directed 'How a Mosquito Operates'
Cecil M. Hempworth, England, (1905) Produced, wrote and starred in 'Rescue by Rover' along with his wife and child. Started the trend of Dog films like Lassie. He introduced the smooth cutting in chase sequences which was very unparalleled at the time. And essentially he start the happy family freeze frame at the end of the film cliche.