LOCOMOTIVEMaria Faura

The industrial revolution was the change from hand and home production to machine and factory. The industrial revolution began in Great Britain and Europe late 18th century and then arrived to America. The first industrial revolution was important for the new inventions of spinning and weaving machines appeared by waterpower and later replaced by steam. This revolution helped America growth and changed it socially and economically, making a new modern urban and industrial state. There were 3 important faces that helped this fact.  The new transportation, which made an easy communication; electricity, a new energy; and the industrial process, that accelerated the industrial production.

The locomotive was a key invention for the industrial revolution. It was invented by George Stephenson.  George Stephenson was born on June 9, 1781, in England. His family was poor and hard working. For this reason Stephenson did not receive education as a child. He worked since he was a kid. He finally went to school and learned to read. With this new knowledge, Stephenson began reading books and applying his learning in innovating. He had ten months of labor for build the locomotive "Blucher" that was completed and tested on the Cillingwood Railway on July 25, 1814. This was the first steam engine powered locomotive to run on a railroad and it was the most successful working steam engine that had ever been constructed up to this period.

The locomotive had evolved significantly from others inventions. The first evidence was the Wagonways, which were being used in Germany in 1550. These primitive railed roads consisted of wooden rails over which horse-drawn wagons or carts moved with greater ease than over dirt roads. In 1776, in Europe, the Wagonways evolved into Tramways. In this new invention the iron replaced the wood in the rails and wheels on the carts. Horses still provided all the pulling power. In 1789, Englishman, William Jessup designed the first wagons with flanged wheels, a groove that allowed the wheels to better grip the rail. As they evolved the trains were more powerful and faster. Richard Trevithick was the first that built steam-powered vehicle to replace the horse-drawn carts on the tramways. Finally George Stephenson applying the steam technology and design the locomotive. Today, most of the steam locomotives are replaced by the diesel engines.

The steam locomotive has an easy functioning. We use fire (the fuel that is used to create the fire is coal or wood) to heat the water, which it turns to steam. This steam goes into the steam pipes into a cylinder where it moves the pistons. The pistons are connected to the wheels. As the valves release the steam onto the pistons, the wheels move.

The locomotive changed America in different things. The stream locomotive allowed a much more faster and safer transportation of goods than by horse. Products could travel farther before the date of expiry or the timely manner. The locomotive also created different jobs. First, people had to build the railroad track for the train to travel on. Second, because of the increase of the business the factories needed to hire more people. Third, more trains were constantly being built had to be made and supplied to places. This new transport increased profits for many businesses. It also improved the passenger transportation opening new areas never before reach. The ability to provide goods to distant areas let people settle more remote areas, for example in the West Expansion.

The locomotive created a better way of transportation. It made a better, faster and safer communication over the state. It also improved business and ridded the passenger into new places never reached. Those trips let people extended all over the country. This invention designed by George Stephenson helped the industrial revolution that created the urbanized America were we life now.

BIOGRAPHYAmericanhistory.about.comIndustrial revolutionInventors.about.comInformation George Stephenson and evolution locomotivesGoogle imaginesInformation how the steam engine worksNotes 10th grade HistoryInformation how the locomotive changed America