Many people wonder how transportation has evolved during the 1700s to 1900s. At the time, the Industrial Revolution started in the United Kingdom and Europe and then rapidly spread through North America and the rest of the world.
Known as the greatest period of transformation in the history of the world, the industrial revolution did not involve war. However, it did facilitate expansion into the technological age. Today, we can thank the industrial revolution for enabling the convenience and wonders of modern life. Mechanization was unheard of before the industrial revolution.
So, how did transportation change during the industrial revolution?
The industrial revolution saw major changes in transportation.
In the 1500s, Germans used wagonways -- wooden tracks -- to make it easier for horse-drawn carts to move. The 1700s heralded the development of iron rails, which resulted in horse-drawn tramways.
William Jessup, and Englishman started building wagons equipped with flanged wheels in 1789. These wheels would grip onto the rails, an invention that would eventually be used on steam locomotives; the locomotive was developed in the early 1800s.
Samuel Homfray funded the building of a steam powered tram, which was facilitated by Richard Trevithick. On February 22, 1804, Trevithick presented a steam powered locomotive that had the power to haul five wagons, seventy ment and ten tons of iron across a distance of nine miles. The trip took two hours.
The passenger locomotive was patented by Julius Griffiths in 1821. By 1825, Stockton and Darlington Railroad Company started running regularly scheduled routes which carried passengers and goods.
Along with railways and waterways, the first roads and development of the steam engine were the inventions that led to the invention of the transportation methods we use today. However, it was not until the second revolution that the automobile and airplane were developed. These inventions played a crucial role in the advancement in transportation history.
It started with the steam engine, which was developed by Thomas Newcomen. James Watt reformed the steam engine in 1765, making it more fuel efficient. Steam engines were used in steam ships and locomotives, providing a more convenient means of transportation.
During the first revolution, railways, canals and roads were improved as basic means of transportation. Since roads were in a bad state of repair during the first revolution, John Metcalfe, Thomas Telford and John McAdam developed new techniques for road construction. Telford was responsible for using large flat stones to create new road foundations. MacAdam included a layer of large stones in the roadbeds to make it easier to transport goods on rainy days.
During the second revolution, Karl Benz invented the first automobile. In 1908, Henry Ford introduced the assembly line, which made the automobile more affordable. Thanks to the invention of the automobile, people now had the freedom to go wherever they wanted at any time.
These days, we hardly think about transportation at all. With so many modern conveniences at our disposal, it’s hard to imagine a world in which it never existed. We can even fly to any destination around the world and ship our cars there to avoid the hassle of car hire with companies such as Nationwide Auto Transportation.
Comments