The Discovery Of The Steam Engine

Many of the first textile mills and other factories were built in the New England region as there were a large number of fast flowing rivers which made it easy for the transportation of goods and they also had a large population. Later, Samuel Slater made many other spinning mills and also other factories in the Northeast side. Thus, the society turned into an urban society. This concentration of industries in the Northeast side had given ways to the development of transportation such as railroads, roadways and canals, which also encouraged business and trade in America. Canals played an important role in the transportation of the produced goods from one place to another. Eerie Canal was the first canal dug in the United States which allowed …show more content…
Earliest steam engine was designed and built by a British inventor, Thomas Newcomen which was used in mines to pump water that helped the worker to dig deeper and deeper. Steam engine was later redesigned and improved by James Watt. “James Watt, the Scottish mechanical engineer and inventor, whose inventions played an important role in Industrial revolution”. His redesign on steam engines was used in many other industrial machines such as steamboats and rail roads. When steam engines were redesigned and built, more uses were found to them. His engines were used all around the world including America and it made the made the transportation system easily accessible to the public. Steam powered trains were able to transport people, food and raw materials very fast. Steam powered engines became the fastest mode of transportation in United States. Also, steam engines made the trading and business easier. The main advantage of steam engines was that it could do the work of hundreds of horses and the only required material to run steam engine was coal and it saved a lot of energy and money. “The railroad brought people and countries together in a way that never had been possible! People could now travel across the United States in train!” The first country to have transcontinental railway was the United States and it had almost 30,000 miles …show more content…
Transportation played an important role in moving the mass produced goods and products. In 1807, President Jefferson approved the plan of constructing a National road, commonly known as Cumberland road. This was the first road entirely build from the federal funds. By the introduction of steam engine and steamboats, factory owners were able to sell all the mass produced goods. Canals and railroads were the common mode of transportations. Steam powered engines were the fastest means of transport through land and it was cheaper and easier to transport goods from one particular place to another. While, steamboats or steam powered boats were the fastest means of transport through water. Robert Fulton, an American engineer and inventor who was given credit creating first commercial successful steamboat in the year 1807. “Fulton’s Clermont, as the steamboat was later called by the press, ushered in a new era in shipping”. Before the introduction of steamboats, produced goods were transported by the means of sailboats, flatboats and keelboats. All these boats have some disadvantages. Sailboats relied on wind for power and it was really hard for them to transport goods. Without wind, they have to either row or tow the sailboats which was really hard for the people. Flatboats can only be used to sail downstream and they often get damaged after reaching the destination. Fulton’s steamboat was