The Transportation Revolution Essay Example

technology and manufacturing during that era. This provided discussion on economy emphasizing the depressions and deflations therein.

Modes of transport have immense significant as far as economic, social and technological advancement is a concern. It plays significant roles in shortening the distances between individual, personal interaction, trade facilitation and unity among different societies. In his book, Taylor captured the below as the transportation sector evolved.

Transportation Revolution Eras

Turnpike Era

By 1790s, Americans hard no direct experience with turnpikes especially the private ones. The town government was had a role in construction, managing and financing the roads. Though the direct profits from the taxes were relatively low, the capital investment increased to in terms of coverage and quality of road system networking. During the 19th century, over 3000 companies successfully finance, build and managed roll road resulting in three episodes of toll construction. These include eastern states, the plank road boom and toll road of the war of west. The led to the formation of first private turnpike chartered in 1792 in Pennsylvania, united Sates.

The Canal Era

Due to the presence of water bodies such as rivers, seas, and oceans, led to the construction of canals. The emergence of the canals was because of key element mode of transport enabling economic development, agricultural stimulation, trade and urban growth and development. According to Taylor in 1951, he asserted that canals as an integral element in economic integration and industrialization. The advocate was for the point that long-distance canals were too expensive for a single company.

Steamboat and Steamships Era

Since waterways were highly concentered in the eastern part of the country, it plays a vital role in transportation. The proximity to the water

surfaces made it more critical in the innovation of the means to navigate through them. Most agricultural activities were practiced along the waterways hence calling for the best option for production and transportation.

As a demand for cotton bales production rises, it called for effect means to cross several water bodies. Before the steamboats, western merchants were compelled to transport their raw materials using small flatboats and rafts to cross across river Ohio and Mississippi. This was not only labor intensive but also time-consuming hence the materials transported could not reach on time and in the required quantities.

The Railroad Era

As Americans were looking for better means to access the market, the poor state of road system was to construct railroads to overcome the challenges of transporting bulky goods over long distances. During the 19th century, the economic transition took place from merchant to industrial capitalism. This lead to the innovation of trains and other locomotives, which uses the railroads to replace the heavy horse pooled dragoons.

The fundamental reasons for the innovations in locomotives was as a result of coal mines which coal not be transported to various places using the existed modes of transport such as roads and bridges, canals and steamboats. The railroads come into extensive use in the 1860s prior to and after the Civil war.

The Importance of The Transportation Revolution

The transportation Revolution is of great significance. Firstly, it explains how transportation played a significant role in shaping the location and nature of economic progress. Secondly, it reveals the inconsistencies of information about the transportation diffusion. In addition, it shows the interaction between different modes of transport. Finally, the solutions to various challenges encounter

in each mode with respective to their economic significance.

Work Cited

1. Taylor, George R. The transportation revolution, 1815-60. Routledge, 2015