The Effect Of Trains On America During The 1800's

The Effect of Trains on America During the 1800’s

Trains originated in Britain, invented by a man named George Stephenson. Engines and tracks were originally purchased from England, up until the civil war. At first, there were skeptics about trains, people who worried about their businesses, and people who believed trains to be sacrilegious. Eventually, the economic advantages of trains silenced the critics, and entered America into a new state of development. Trains were vital for the development of the industrial revolution, as they allowed for the quick movement of large quantities of goods for a cheaper price, and made it an overall much more efficient process. Trains were not only an industrial advancement, but also an improvement to transport of people. Trains were much faster, much more comfortable, and much safer than travel by wagon. Lastly, trains forwarded westward expansion, as manifest destiny would cause railways to be built out west, bringing people with them.

Railroads were very important to the industrial revolution at the time, as they provided a quick

Travel by wagon could take months, and the entire time you would be uncomfortable, subject to disease and robbery, and dependent on the environment around you. Meanwhile canal and oceanic travel was constrained, and perhaps more dangerous. With the implementation of railroads, traveling large distances became comfortable and safe. According to http://www.american-historama.org/1801-1828-evolution/railroads-in-the-1800s.htm, the earlier railroads were slightly uncomfortable and a bit inconveniencing, as you would often have to switch trains, and the trains were not well built. In later trains however, passengers had plenty of room to walk around, and would receive meals on board, as well as the ability to sleep in private sleeping quarters. This gave people the option for a new headache-free method of