The Importance Of Steam Travel In The 19th States
Throughout the 19th century, the US rapidly expanded its borders from east to west. During this time, US inventors designed steam-powered machines that greatly improved speed of travel, US migration patterns, and they also encouraged the shift from natural methods of transportation (animals, flatboats, and wagons), to steam-powered transportation. Before then, people had been using wagons and flatboats to get to their destinations. Using wagons and flatboats was slow and costly compared to steam-engine travel, and there was always the possibility of getting stuck from an accident, being affected by bad weather and about 4% of travelers died from cholera. When John Fitch invented the steam engine, it made river travel much faster. It
also reduced the risk of the spread of disease and accidents. Unfortunately Fitch made the price of using his steamboats too high. Farmers who considered using the steamboat to sell their products would rather use the wagon or flatboat method because the cost of using the steamboat ate up their profits. A possible reason for why Fitch’s price was so high was because his means of operating it was very expensive. Robert Fulton created his own steamboat but he found a cheaper way to operate it. As a result, many more people now used the steamboat, which could travel 320 miles in 62 hours; a record speed at the time. Nevertheless, the chances of being affected by bad weather remained the same and sometimes steamboats could go off course, crash into each other and explode. But the future had called to Americans again in 1869; the transcontinental railroad was completed. Now people could reach the west in just a few days by taking the train. By 1890, the territories of the west were now states and the days of the frontier were practically gone.
also reduced the risk of the spread of disease and accidents. Unfortunately Fitch made the price of using his steamboats too high. Farmers who considered using the steamboat to sell their products would rather use the wagon or flatboat method because the cost of using the steamboat ate up their profits. A possible reason for why Fitch’s price was so high was because his means of operating it was very expensive. Robert Fulton created his own steamboat but he found a cheaper way to operate it. As a result, many more people now used the steamboat, which could travel 320 miles in 62 hours; a record speed at the time. Nevertheless, the chances of being affected by bad weather remained the same and sometimes steamboats could go off course, crash into each other and explode. But the future had called to Americans again in 1869; the transcontinental railroad was completed. Now people could reach the west in just a few days by taking the train. By 1890, the territories of the west were now states and the days of the frontier were practically gone.