By: Ali Sullivan

What is the Transportation Revolution?  It was a rapid growth in the speed and convenience of transportation.  It helped business throughout the country by reducing shipping times and rates.

New Ways to Travel  The railroad and steamboat were invented during this time.  Both relied on steam engines for the power source.  They increased transportation speed. Steamboat Railroad

 The time of travel speeded up.  People were able to get to their destination quicker with the new inventions of the Transportation Revolution. Travel

There were five different ways of transportation. RoadsRailroads CanalsSteamboat Clipper Ships Transportation

The Steamboat  The most successful steamboat was invented by Robert Fulton.  On August 9, 1807 he tested his steamboat in which he called the Clermont that turned out to be a success.  The steamboat reduced the time of water transportation.

Clipper Ships  Clipper ships were a fast way to ship goods.  They used many sails and had narrow hulls.  The narrow hulls allowed the clipper ships travel at fast speeds.  The clipper ships stopped being used when speed was not important.

Canals  Canals made trading a lot easier.  Canals helped get traded goods to the places they needed to go to faster and easier.

Railroads  Railroads speeded up travel on land.  Railroads were one of the fastest ways of transportation.  Railroads were a big step from wagons that traveled less than 10 miles per hour.  Trains traveled around 20 miles per hour.

Roads  Roads were different than they are today.  They had wagons that traveled on the roads.

 The most important fact about the Transportation Revolution was that it helped our country expand to the West.