History of Transportation

The history of transportation traces back to the time when there is no means of transportation and humans used to travel by foot. They used to travel long distances for many days to reach their destination. Humans Keep on improving and developing new means to ease their travel like making spike structures for their feet to easy walking in snow or icy areas, making use of logs of wood to travel through water bodies etc. One of the Biggest moves in the history of transportation is made when around 3500 BC the wheeled vehicle was used and the era of a cart or chariots started.

Different Means of Transport:-

There are different types of transportation which are listed below:-

• Roadways
• Railways
• Water TransportAir Transport or Aviation
• Space Travel

Let’s look at each one of them and understand them.

Roadways:-

After the discovery of the wheel, Carts and chariots began to use. With the help of animals like horses, donkeys, ox etc. loads were carried from one place to another and travel is of somewhat ease but still, the time of travel is more for greater distance. This use of animals started a trend of domesticating animals to use them as a means of transporting people and goods.

In the year 1787 first steamboat is invented and after that many steam locomotives were made and used on the roads. After that, in the year 1862 Jean Lenoir made the first gas engine/machine vehicle and after this, in the year 1867, the first motorcycle was invented. After that, the change in Land or Road transportation takes a massive speed and now we are familiar with vehicles which are automated and full of technology.  

Railways:-

In the year 1550 in Germany railways existed. These tracks or pathways are of wood called “wagon ways”. It was the beginning of modern rail transport. In 1700 iron replaced wooden tracks and became popular in Europe.

After that steam-powered locomotives came into existence and were slowly replaced by diesel-powered locomotives beginning in the early 1900s and later with electric ones. By the year 1980s, most steam-powered locomotives were retired from regular service routes and a new era begin with diesel and electric engines.

Now, Railway is one of the biggest transporters of goods and carry a passenger from one place to another.

Also, roadways and railways both together make Land Transportation.

Water Transport:-

Boats were some of the very early achievements of human civilizations which were very helpful for travel and also many discoverers like Vasco Da Gama discover the world through this. Goods were exchanged and trades takes place between far places. In the 17th century, submarines came into existence and things like steamboats also came into existence. All these made humans’ transportation and trades very easy and travel become easy.

Air Transport or Aviation:-

In the year 1783, the hot air balloon was invented and after a long time, In the year 1903, the revolution of aviation history started when the Wright brothers designed the first manned aeroplane with an engine and after this technology takes over. After this helicopter came into existence and scaling in number and space both took place. Now, we have aeroplanes which carry passengers and also goods, we have Fighter planes and jet planes. Technology has fully taken over and the size of the aviation industry has grown over the period of time.

Space Travel:-

In the year 1957, the Soviet Union surprised the world with its successful launch of Sputnik, which is the first satellite to reach outer space and marks the first space travel but not for humans. After Four years, the Russians send the first human to space, pilot Yuri Gagarin, into outer space aboard the Vostok 1. After this Neil Alden Armstrong became the first human in the year 1969 to travel to the moon. After these many things take place and a lot of technological advancement takes place our ISRO in its latest Mission also reaches Mars in its first attempt.

Questions and Answers:-

1. Who is the first human to go to space?

Answer:- Pilot Yuri Gagarin was the human who travel to outer space, spending 108 minutes in space.

2. Who invented the steam engine?

Answer:- Thomas Newcomen, developed the steam engine in 1712.

3. Railways are not part of land transportation. True or False?

Answer:- False, Both roadways and railways are parts of Land Transport.

4. What is the name of the Indian Space Agency?

Answer:- Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), was founded in 1969.

5. Name of ISRO’s First Mars mission?

Answer:- Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), was launched on November 05, 2013.