How Has Technology Changed Transportation?
Technology has regularly changed transportation by making it quicker and more efficient. The first wheels on carts were created in roughly 3500 B.C., along with river boats driven by oars. Until roughly the 1600s, there were few major changes in transportation technology, such as domestication of horses and carriages.
Boat technology improved with the invention of sails, which allowed larger ships to take to the water. This made it easier to transport large amounts of goods through waterways and to explore more distant areas, such as crossing the ocean to make colonies on other continents. These large ships also helped international trade and encouraged the creation of the canal system, which shortened journeys and made it more profitable to trade with distant countries.
The industrial revolution in the 1800s included many transportation improvements, such as trains and railways, which allowed for quicker land travel. This was used for cargo and passengers, making it possible to quickly travel across large swaths of land. The same steam technology also helped further improve ships.
Flight was achieved in 1903, and improved rapidly throughout the century until passenger airlines were common and normal and it was possible to escape the Earth’s atmosphere. This century also saw the automobile of the late 1800s become a common personal transportation option that facilitates fast, affordable travel for individuals.
