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The History of Transportation: Center For Professional Development

1) Early humans walked and dragged or pushed what they needed to transport along worn paths. The development of the wheel led to wheeled vehicles like sleds and carts. 2) The first roads were constructed in Mesopotamia in 3500 BC, made of packed earth and other materials. Domesticated animals and sailboats were in use by 3000 BC. 3) The Romans built stone-surfaced roads with mortar beginning in 300 BC. Steam power was applied to road vehicles in 1769 and steamboats in 1786, kickstarting the industrial transportation revolution.

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56 views22 pages

The History of Transportation: Center For Professional Development

1) Early humans walked and dragged or pushed what they needed to transport along worn paths. The development of the wheel led to wheeled vehicles like sleds and carts. 2) The first roads were constructed in Mesopotamia in 3500 BC, made of packed earth and other materials. Domesticated animals and sailboats were in use by 3000 BC. 3) The Romans built stone-surfaced roads with mortar beginning in 300 BC. Steam power was applied to road vehicles in 1769 and steamboats in 1786, kickstarting the industrial transportation revolution.

Uploaded by

josh
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The History of Transportation

Center for Professional


Development
Early Man

• Walked
• Dragged, rolled, or pushed
what he or she needed to
transport
• Alone or as a group
• Early “roads” were worn
paths
First Vehicle

• Most likely a sled / sledge

7000 BC

6000 BC 4000 BC 2000 BC 0 2000 AD


Man Becomes Mobile

The development of the wheel led to the


development of wheeled vehicles.
First Roads

• Mesopotamia
• Hard surfaces for
travel purposes
• Most likely packed
material, soil, etc.

3500 BC

6000 BC 4000 BC 2000 BC 0 2000 AD


Early Transport

Domesticated Sails Wheeled


Animals Vehicles

3000 BC

6000 BC 4000 BC 2000 BC 0 2000 AD


Road “Upgrade”

• Crete - Mediterranean

• First stone
surfaced roads
constructed

1500 BC

6000 BC 4000 BC 2000 BC 0 2000 AD


. . . and in the West . . .

• Mayans, Aztecs, Incas are building roads


away from the coast
• Why?
– Move armies to
conquer others
or defend themselves
– Move food and trade goods
1500 BC

6000 BC 4000 BC 2000 BC 0 2000 AD


Early Pavement Technology

• Roman Empire
• Used broken stones in
mortar for roadway
surfaces

300 BC

6000 BC 4000 BC 2000 BC 0 2000 AD


Vehicle “Upgrade”

• New Developments

Harness & Traces Iron Horseshoes

800 - 1100

6000 BC 4000 BC 2000 BC 0 2000 AD


Finding The Way

• Magnetic compass
probably invented
in china
• Adopted by
European mariners

1200

6000 BC 4000 BC 2000 BC 0 2000 AD


Notable Voyages

• 1492: Christopher Columbus


– discovers the Americas
• 1497-8: Vasco de Gama
– sails around Africa
• 1519-22: Ferdinand Magellan
– first voyage around the world
1492 - 1522

6000 BC 4000 BC 2000 BC 0 2000 AD


Getting Steamed!

• 1769: First steam road


vehicle
• 1786: First successful
steamboat demo
• 1804: First successful
railroad steam
locomotive demo
1769 - 1804

6000 BC 4000 BC 2000 BC 0 2000 AD


Paving the Way

• John Loudon MacAdam


• Builds macadam hard-surfaced roads in
England

1815

6000 BC 4000 BC 2000 BC 0 2000 AD


Riding the Rails

• 1825: Locomotive power


in England
• 1863: First subway line
in London
• 1869: Transcontinental
Railroad in U.S.
• 1882: First electrified
railroads 1820 - 1920

6000 BC 4000 BC 2000 BC 0 2000 AD


Sailing the Seas

• 1825: Erie Canal


opens
• 1850’s: Age of clipper
ships
• 1869: Suez Canal
opens
• 1914: Panama Canal
opens 1825-1914

6000 BC 4000 BC 2000 BC 0 2000 AD


The Auto Debuts

• 1880’s
– Daimler & Benz build
first successful autos
with gasoline engines
• 1916
– Federal Aid Road Act

1880-1916

6000 BC 4000 BC 2000 BC 0 2000 AD


The Modern Highway

• 1940:
Pennsylvania
turnpike opens
• 1956: Interstate
Highway Act

1956

6000 BC 4000 BC 2000 BC 0 2000 AD


Taking Flight

Wright Jumbo
Brothers Jets
1903
1970

Commercial
Service
1952 1903-1970

6000 BC 4000 BC 2000 BC 0 2000 AD


Key Events

• 1970’s & 1980’s:


Fuel Crises

• 1990: ISTEA
• 1998: TEA-21
1970-1998

6000 BC 4000 BC 2000 BC 0 2000 AD


Beyond the Earth

• 1969 - Man lands on


Moon
• 1981 - Space Shuttle
• Now: International
Space Station

1969-2001

6000 BC 4000 BC 2000 BC 0 2000 AD


What’s Next?

6000 BC 4000 BC 2000 BC 0 2000 AD

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