Advances+in+Transportation

Advances in Transportation
 * 1) What new technologies enabled transportation to grow?
 * 2) Why did trains win out over canals?
 * 3) What is the economic benefit of using trains?
 * 4) Which country pioneered the use of railway?
 * 5) Which economic class most often used trains for leisure?
 * 6) What mode of transportation enabled immigrants to go to America?
 * 7) What are the benefits and disadvantages of using steam powered ships compared to sail?
 * 8) What military advantages did trains have?
 * 9) What new type of transportation did the internal combustion engine create?
 * 10) How were most cars manufactured in 1900?

What new technologies enabled transportation to grow during the Industrial Revolution? What type of transportation did the internal combustion engine create? How were most cars manufactured in 1900?

Steam power was the main invention that enabled transportation to grow rapidly. French and Dutch scientist had invented steam power to be used in factories since the 18th century. French inventors tried to create boats powered by steam in 1783 but their work was impeded by the French Revolution. By the the beginning of the 19th century steamboats were used on canals and small rivers. They had not yet reached the technology capable of crossing oceans. The first trans-Atlantic steamboat, //The Great Western//, crossed the Atlantic in 1838. Steamboat service was not only important for trade but also for carrying people long distances in short time periods. Steam locomotives were also powered by steam engines. The steam locomotive boom occurred in the early 19th century in England, although many other people attempted to create a steam operated vehicle. In a very short time, railways spread across Europe, North America, and the colonies of Britain and France and Spain. The internal combustion engine was another important transportation technology. Karl Benz created the first internal combustion engine in 1886. Cars became very useful for going places where trains could not. By 1914 cars were being masses produced thanks to the assembly line created by Henry Ford. In the early days of the automobile industry, 1900, cars were made by skilled workers. This was tedious and expensive

Trains vs. Canals What is the economic advantage of using trains?

Canals were very useful to early businessmen and factory owners. They could create a product and then ship it downriver very quickly compared to having it wheeled by horses. Many companies were created that built canals. However, there were many downsides to canals. They were very expensive and time consuming. Many workers had to be paid to finish the canals which could take years. Canals could only go on flat terrain with a nearby source of water. When the locomotive boom began around 1830, canals were quickly shut down. Trains were faster and they could haul more cargo. The tracks were also cheaper and trains were very advantageous for 19th century warfare. Large countries, such as Russia, needed vast railways to get troops to the front as quickly as possible. The ability to mobilize forces quickly was a deciding factor in many wars. Canals did not have the ability to transport troops quickly. The companies that specialized in building canals quickly went out of business. Canals were not abandoned immediately however, famous ones like the Panama canal were built much later.

Which country pioneered the use of rail?

Great Britain was the first country to quickly built a series of railways. The steam locomotive was invented in England and they realized the effectiveness of them. The railway boom began around 1830 and in 50 years, Great Britain had built 20,000 miles of track. Other countries soon caught on and built their own railway systems. Russia had only 700 miles of track in 1860 but by 1900 they had over 36,000 and were able to exploit their vast supply of natural resources in Siberia. France and Germany had railways that were also larger than Great Britains. The United States had the largest railway system, however. By 1870, the U.S. had 53,000 miles. The large railway system were not exclusive to industrialized nations. Regions with abundant resources also had large railways like Africa, India, and China.

What are the benefits and disadvantages of using steam powered ships compared to sail?

Steam powered vessels had many advantages over wind powered ships. For example, travel time from Liverpool to South Africa fell from 3 months to 3 weeks after they British used steam power. Steam ships can also go where sail powered ships could not. Europeans were able to explore Africa in river and lake steamboats. Steamboats do not have to be as big and bulky as sailboats. There were disadvantages when using steam powered vessels. Coal was needed in order to travel long distances and the boats were very dangerous if fire were to occur. Although there were disadvantages, steam power was much better than sail power.

Which economic class most often used trains for leisure? What mode of transportation enabled immigrants to leave their homelands?

The middle class usually used trains and steam boats for leisure purposes. Extravagant train and steamboat trips were offered like the Orient Express which went throughout the Ottoman Empire. Europeans would also visit Africa, India and East Asia on steamship cruises. The lower class also was benefited by steamships. They did not travel in the luxurious style that the middle class did, but immigrants flowed out of Europe on steamships. Because steamships were faster and less dangerous than sailboats, millions of immigrants came to North America from Europe. They were trying to escape the hardships of their lives in Europe. These hardships was not only poor working and living conditions, but disease and famine. Many Irish people fled Ireland during the famine and settled in America.

Bibliography

 World History Textbook  "Overview of Communication, Transportation, and Exploration." //World Eras, Vol. 9: Industrial Revolution in Europe, 1750-1914.// James R. Farr, ed. Gale, 2003. Reproduced in History Resource Center. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale. [|http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/History/]  "Transport—Road, Canal, Rail."//Encyclopedia of Irish History and Culture//. James S. Donnelly, Jr., ed. 2 vols. Macmillan Reference USA, 2004. Reproduced in History Resource Center. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale. [|http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/History/]  "transportation revolution." //World History: The Modern Era//. ABC-CLIO, 2009. Web. 17 Sep. 2009. <[|http://www.worldhistory.abc-clio.com]>.  "Railroads and Steamships (Visual)." //World History: The Modern Era//. ABC-CLIO, 2009. Web. 17 Sep. 2009. <[|http://www.worldhistory.abc-clio.com]>.  Stockdale, Nancy. "leisure travel in the 19th century." //World History: The Modern Era//. ABC-CLIO, 2009. Web. 21 Sept. 2009. <[|http://www.worldhistory.abc-clio.com]>.  "George Stephenson." //World History: The Modern Era//. ABC-CLIO, 2009. Web. 21 Sept. 2009. <[|http://www.worldhistory.abc-clio.com]>.