Although there are several technologies that have made an impact on different societies throughout the world, the train seems to be the one that stood out to me the most. Trains began in the early 1800s and since have continued to aid humans all over the world in political, social, environmental, and cultural aspects. Understanding the historical setting that invited the rise of this new technology, the continuous change it underwent to aid society, and the unforeseen consequences of its arrival is crucial in order to recognize just how big of an influence the train had on our entire world. Discussing how people view trains today is also important so that we may try and predict the future of this long-lasting piece of technology. The question …show more content…
Trains have been altered several times over the years to accurately aid the needs of the society it is utilized in. As described in the historical setting above, trains have taken many different forms over the years and have ultimately led to the design we have today. Each year society seems to want everything more quickly and readily. This includes moving both goods and themselves across long distances in a short amount of time. Trains gave them this opportunity. Initially, trains weren’t as fast or powerful as they are today, but for the time being, it was the best they had. Before cars, “wagonways” or horse drawn “trains” were the most effective way to move what they needed or themselves from place to place. However, when cars were invented, trains seemed to become less popular. Society become more individualistic and cars allowed for the personal transportation. The railroad was affected hugely by the rise of the car and “Rail passenger-miles traveled per capita fell steadily from 1920 to 1929 decreasing over 40 percent…” (Hess). Societal changes have major effects on technologies and their success. The train, once the most efficient way to travel, had been pushed aside for the automobile. The social and cultural aspects were the biggest factors in this change. Once the car became popular and mass produced, citizens could afford it and be a part of the new, independent group in society. More advanced …show more content…
Trains seem to have had a very positive impact on each society that adopted it. The three greatest values of the train that I picked from an article called “Effect of Railroads on the United States”, by Martin Kelly, were the following: it “bound countries together and allowed for distant travel”, served as an “outlet for products”, and “stimulated commerce”. These seemed to be 3 different view points on why the train was valuable as well as the most impactful results. To begin, the train helped to close the distance from place to place, making travelling much easier. This led to the expansions of nations and made for a more “interconnected society” (Kelly). As distances to travel decreased, the steady spread of population increased. Population was not the only thing to increase though. The number of products and goods that could be moved from country to country or place to place expanded causing a growth in markets and production. The value of this is best described in Kelly’s words from the article, “Thus, there was a two-fold effect on products: the sellers found new markets in which to sell their goods and individuals who lived on the frontier were able to obtain goods that were previously unavailable or extremely hard to get”. A mechanical invention made a lasting impact on both the sellers and consumers throughout the country and the world. It benefitted both the economical
The transcontinental railroad was a 1,800 mile railroad linking Omaha, Missouri with Sacramento, California. This railroad was built through varying environmental conditions including grassy plains, desserts, and mountains such as the Sierra. The railroad revolutionized transportation in the nineteenth century (Galloway 4). The First Transcontinental Railroad was built in the 1860s in order to connect the Eastern and Western coasts of the United States. In the book The Railroads, statistical data describes that “In 1830, 23 miles of railroad track were being operated in the United States; by 1890 that figure had grown to 166,703 miles, as cities and villages were linked across the lan...
In order to detail the rise of railroads throughout this era of technological boom, it is important to understand the Industrial Revolution, which was the start of this success; it paved the way for major changes in the modern society we live in today. This is the period between the 18th and 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportatio...
Railroads were one of the most used transportation during the Gilded Age, making traveling the United States quicker. This allowed shipping products to other states easier, while keeping the consumers happy. Originally, shipping steel, or other heavy equipment was near impossible until railroads/train could carry mass tons of products.
The Transcontinental Railroad was one of the most ambitious engineering projects, economic stimulants, and efficient methods of transportation in the early United States. If completed, the United States would be truly be united from east to west. The purpose of this paper is to examine how the Transcontinental Railroad helped develop new opportunities for many aspects of American life.
During the 1800’s, America was going through a time of invention and discovery known as the Industrial Revolution. America was in its first century of being an independent nation and was beginning to make the transition from a “home producing” nation to a technological one. The biggest contribution to this major technological advancement was the establishment of the Transcontinental Railroad because it provided a faster way to transport goods, which ultimately boosted the economy and catapulted America to the Super Power it is today.
As the need of human transportation and various forms of cargo began to rise in the United States of America, a group of railroads with terminal connections along the way began to form across the land mass of this country, ending with the result of one of the most influential innovations in American history, allowing trade to flow easily from location to location, and a fast form of transportation, named the Transcontinental Railroad.
The transcontinental railroad would eventually become a symbol of much-needed unity, repairing the sectionalism that had once divided the nation during the Civil War. The construction of the transcontinental railroad was also an extension of the transportation revolution. Once commodities such as gold were found in the western half of America, many individuals decided to move themselves and their families out west in search of opportunity. Not only did the railroad help to transport people, but it also it allowed for goods to be delivered from companies in the east. In the end, the American transcontinental railroad created a national market, enabling mass production, and stimulated industry, while greatly impacting American society through stimulated immigration and urbanization.
The railroad played a major role in forging the history of many countries including the United States of America. The railroad began to bring people to places that before then where only accessed by weeks of dangerous travel over harsh and deadly terrain. The industrial revolution had ushered in a completely new era. The new era was one of mass production, supply and demand, and new requirements of industry. The growth of industry had created new demands for transit, trade, and more robust supply lines. The railroad boom across the U.S. had spread and proceeded to grow the economy quickly therefore, many people began using the rail roads just as quickly. The rail market continued to grow and by the 1860’s all major cities within the United States were connected by rail.
The Transcontinental railroad could be defined as the most monumental change in America in the 19th century. The railroad played a significant role in westward expansion and on the growth and development of the American economy (Gillon p.653). However, the construction of the transcontinental railroad may not have occurred if not for the generous support of the federal government. The federal government provided land grants and financial subsidies to railroad companies to ensure the construction. The transcontinental railroad contributed to the formation of industry and the market economy in America and forever altered the American lifestyle.
Railroads made a huge contribution to the growth of the United States, they led to many advances throughout American History. There were numerous matters the railroads effected in American development and the framework of the country. The railroad had positive and negative effects on America as a whole through the growth of the industry, such as; encouraged western expansion, enhanced the economy, recognized railroad monopolies, assisted the Union in Civil War, helped keep the country together, and created a high expense cost for the nation.
As a result of the Transcontinental Railroad being finished in 1869, both people and manufactured goods could be transported easily across the country. East and West were no longer separated. With the increase of connection and
Railroads were America’s first big business and contributed a great deal towards advancing industrialization. Beginning in the early 1870's, railroad construction in the United States expanded substantially. Before the year 1871, approximately fourty-five thousand miles of track had been laid. Up until the 1900's another one-hundred and seventy thousand miles were added to the nation's growing railroad system. This growth came about due to the erection of transcontinental railroads. Railroads supplied cities and towns with food, fuel, materials, and access to markets. The railroad system made way for an economic prosperity. The railroad system helped to build the physical growth of cities and towns. It even became another means of communication. Most importantly, it helped to produce a second
By 1920, there were 253,000 miles of track for trains. There were also different things like Pullman Cars on trains where travellers could spend the night in. Not only that, but there were also dining carts for eating a freshly cooked meal. But the decline was inevitable for trains due to the increase in popularity in air travel and cars so the train industry ultimately fell by 50% from
...iling industry and the expansion of the west. The railroads helped these industries expand their territories which not only brought wealth to the large companies but, it also helped create jobs for many people. The railroad industry became an important gateway for immigrants because it introduced them to different opportunities of work and living. The railroad industry also helped to pour money into America’s economy. The railroad industry helped raise economic standards and change the way from an economy based on agriculture to an agriculture base on machinery. The railroads united America as a whole. It was the driving force of the industrial revolution that brought America together as a unity. The industrial revolution wouldn’t be the same if it wasn’t for the railroad industry that changed not only the people but, the country as a whole for the next fifty years.
...beginning of the growth of a nation. The first two decades of railroading were a period of experimentation and rapid industrial development. They soon became a must for the rapidly developing world. They were used for employment, the carrying of freight, and transportation in all parts of America. Americans became dependent on railroads and they were improving them whenever they could. It can be said that Americans would never know a world without railroads again. The invention of the railroad drastically changed the way the United States came to be. The railroad, like any other great invention, evolved from something small to a technological advancement. Railroads started out going about 5 miles an hour, and now go an average of 80 to 100 miles an hour. The evolution of trains wasn’t just then; they are still in the process of getting better and better every day.