History of Transportation

Early Transportation

• Early humans likely achieved faster travel using skis in northern countries before 3000 BC.
• The wheel was invented around 3500 BC, but carts were slow due to lack of roads.
• Horses were the fastest and most popular means of transport, running at about 55 km/h, for many centuries.

Air Transport

• The hot-air balloon made its first free flight in 1783, invented by the Montgolfier brothers.
• The first passengers in a hot-air balloon had a close call with a fire, but managed to put it out and land safely.
• The first powered, controlled, and sustained flight was made by the Wright brothers in 1903, in their aircraft, the Flyer.

Railway Development

• The first vehicle with an engine to run on tracks was developed in 1803 by Richard Trevithick.
• In 1804, Trevithick took the first passengers, but the train fell off the tracks due to weak tracks.

Bicycle Development

• The first bicycle with pedals was created by Kirkpatrick Macmillan in 1840.
• It took around 140 years for Macmillan's design to develop into modern mountain bikes.

Modern Transportation

• The twentieth century saw the development of new means of transport, including the hydrofoil and the hovercraft.
• The petrol-driven car was invented in 1885 in Germany and revolutionized transportation.
• The aeroplane has enabled people to travel the world easily and cheaply.

Space Transport

• The first Moon landing was in 1969, followed by the development of the space shuttle in 1981 and space tourism in 2002.
• The future of transport is likely to be exciting, with potential developments in space travel.