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May 10, 1493
First Horses Introduced in North America (Part 1)
The first horses were introduced to North America in 1493 by Christopher Columbus. Horses were eventually traded to, and stolen by the Native Americans. Horses were the most basic; but an important mode of transportation for Native Americans and the United states because they were fast and maneuverable comparing to walking by feet(Red Oak Tree, 2006). -
May 10, 1493
First Horses Introduced in North America (Part 2)
The Native Americans could now Hunt on Horseback and also Couriers could deliver messages more quickly. Horses were also used later in Colonial America as War Horses and Horse drawn Carriages. Horses were Commonly used throughout America until the 1800s. -
First Ship Built - Virginia (Part 2)
Since the English colonists came to America by water transportation, the later generations focused on finding waterways to travel within the continent. And people explored the North America by travelling the rivers. -
First Ship Built - Virginia (Part 1)
(Additional Content)Virginia was the first pinnace that built in North America. It was built by the English colonists who lived at the mouth of Maine's Kennebec River at Popham Colony's Fort St George. Virginia crossed the Atlantic Ocean more than one time and served the Jamestown colony (Maine's First Ship, 2013). They built the ship was because they were going to abandon the colony and return home to England (Maine Division of Parks and Public Lands, 2004). -
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The development of transportation in the United States of the 1700-1800's
This timeline will display the development of transportations and events that attribute to the development of transportations in the United States in the 1700’s to the 1800’s. Readers can experience the changes of transportations and see how the technology developed. -
The First Hot Air Balloon (Part 2)
He was the first man to fly a hot air balloon in the United States. There were crowds and George Washington was at the site of the launch as well. The air balloon achieved human's dream about flying in the sky and being in the air. Since the hot air balloon depended on the wind direction only, it inspired the later generations to create the airplane which we as humans could control. -
The First Hot Air Balloon (Part 1)
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Jean Pierre Blanchard was a French balloonist and he came to visit Philadelphia. He was excited and saw America as "the desire of beholding you in the full enjoyment of the blessings of liberty, under the protection of your newly established government"( The Lewis and Clark Fort Mandan Foundation, 2009). -
The First Steamboats (Part 2)
The development of the steamboat helped people to travel from state to state; despite the speed were eight miles per hour downstream and three miles per hour upstream, the steamboats helped businessman and American to travel in a larger area; the boats were also helped carrying all kinds of goods, such as cotton, sugar and manufactured goods (The Library of Congress, 2013). -
The First Steamboat (Part 1)
(Additional Content)John Fitch was the inventor of America’s first steamboat. Steam was used to power ships before the invention of engines. He built his first steamboat in 1787 which was inspired by a canoe full of Indian. The steamboats provided services between Philadelphia and Boardentown on the Delaware River (PBS, 2013). In 1791, Fitch granted a U.S. patent for the steamboat (The Library of Congress, 2013). -
Corps Of Discovery (Part 1)
(Additional Content)Thomas Jefferson wanted to find a waterway from the Atlantic to Pacific Ocean, which is known as the “Northwest Passage” for commerce and trading among the nation.
This is the word from Thomas Jefferson, “…mission is to explore the Missouri River, and such principal stream of it, as, by its course and communications with the waters of the Pacific Ocean may offer the most direct and practicable water communication across this continent”( The West Film Project, 2001). -
Corps Of Discovery (Part 2)
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were the explorers and the team traveled over 8000 miles within two and a half years. They travelled through the Missouri Rivers to Clearwater River in Idaho, drew maps and discovered there were no waterways from coast to coast. They reached the Pacific Ocean in 1805(National Park Service, 2013). As a result, Thomas Jefferson started to seek another transportation system and focused on land transportation that could connect the whole nation. -
The National Road (Part 1)
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The National Road was the first federally funded road in U.S. history and was signed by Thomas Jefferson. It was a forerunner of the national highway system. The road was from Maryland to Ohio which helped to connect the young country and get people closer together (U.S. Department of Transportation, 2011). -
The National Road (Part 2)
The National Road reflected the idea of “manifest destiny”, the Americans control the land which was given by God. The photograph clearly showed that the road was completed and the surface of the road is flat and smooth. It was good for wheels to get through without all the muddy and holes in the road. It helped coaches and automobile to run effectively on the surface. -
Erie Canal (Part 1)
The Americans spent a long time on discovering a water route which could connect the whole nation and benefit the commerce. The New York State approved to construct the Erie Canal in 1817 from Albany to Buffalo in New York, total in 363 miles in length. The man-made canal was envisioned by Jesse Hawley, a merchant. After the Erie Canal was opened, there was a dramatic change in population and businesses were flourished. -
Erie Canal (Part 2)
The canal boats became floating houses and more than 50,000 people were depended on the Erie Canal (New York State Canal Corporation). At that time, People depended on the water transportation for goods and labors: farmers sent their crops and traders exchange their manufactured goods by the boats. -
Tom Thumb (Part 1)
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In 1829 the first steam engine train, named “Tom Thumb” was built by Peter Cooper. It made its first successful trip in August 1830 when it transported a cart with passengers from Baltimore to Elicott’s Mills. Passengers were amused by the speed of 14 miles per hour (Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum, 2013). -
Tom Thumb (Part 2)
This invention was important to the United States because it was later modified to the steam train. The steam train provided a less expensive, faster mode of transportation. People could now travel faster from state to state, and produce and goods could now be transported from state to state more efficiently. -
Wind Wagons (Part 1)
The wind wagons, also known as the sailing wagon. It was about three feet wide, eight feet long and six inches deep. Samuel Peppard, who was from the Kansas Territory. He built the wind wagon with his friends with the goal of going to the Colorado because of the gold fever. -
Wind Wagon (Part 2)
The speed of the wagons was about 15 miles per hour when skimming over the prairie, it could also speed up to 40 miles per hour depended on the wind (Kansas Historical Society). This transportation was making good use of the natural resource: wind. -
First Transcontinental Railroad (Part 2)
The Transcontinental Railroad made the dream come true that the young nation was more unified and expanded from the east to west. It helped the economic to grow and given American another faster and safe route from coast to coast. It showed that how the technology had been improved and the people were becoming more knowledgeable. -
First Transcontinental Railroad (Part 1)
(Additional Content )The Transcontinental Railroad linked the east and west of the nation. The Central Pacific Railroad started from Sacramento from the east in 1863, through the Sierra Nevada Mountains and cross the Great Basin, the railroad was in Utah in 1869 (U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management, 2013). And the Union Pacific Railroad was started from the Omaha, Nebraska, from the west. Two companies were building the first transcontinental railroad in 1863.
