Essay On Transportation Technology

The history of transportation technologies over the past 800 years greatly changed human civilization. Due to the emergence of these technologies allowed humans to benefit in all sorts of ways throughout the world. It has caused a shift in the way people live and the way countries interact with each other. transportation is directly linked to the process of globalization, the efficacy of moving goods and people will directly affect the economic system we live in. Moving people faster or over long distances, moving cargo faster or more of it has been an evolution of many different civilizations knowledge and thirst for a better economy. I will be breaking this evolution into four pivotal eras in the development of transportation technologies.

The major factors that shaped the industrial revolution would be the emergence of the scientific method, property rights, the creation of capital markets and major developments in communications and transport infrastructure. With all these technological factors changing transportation trade form. With the scientific method taking place in the 17th century, which led to a different style of thinking. People began to take more rational methods when it came to the laws of nature. Incorporating technical positions or professions within the fields of physics, engineering and chemistry. What that did for transportation was create a platform for innovation. It allowed free thinkers and fact based professionals to influence transportation like they never had before. The industrial revolution really jump started the emergence of the global economy. The technical innovations that changed production and transportation had a major effect on trade. Between 1750 and 1800 the industrial revolution had two phases that changed the global economy and trade forever. Within this short period of time, there was drastic changes of the transport infrastructure. First we had the highly developed methods of canal systems which allowed maritime trade to reach new heights and the latter years of the century we had developed the railroad system. The railroad system allowed for more efficient routes and transportation once again was breaking new barriers in the sense we could now transport tons of materials throughout the country. Within this period we also had the creation of the steam engine and external combustion engine, which harnessed thermal energy into mechanical energy. These innovations provided expansion of both railroad and maritime transport structure. The engineer Watt is credited for developing the the steam engine, which was first used to pump water out of mines. It