"I'm going to democratize the automobile. When I'm through, everybody will be able to afford one...."
-Henry Ford
Our World is a Car World
Try to imagine our world without cars. Of course not every person in the world owns or even needs a car to live their lives. However, in North America our quality of life is often defined by the power and style of our vehicles. It is important to us that our cars take us to where we need to be and to where we want to go. They get us to work and take us out to the movies. Today, we’d be hard pressed to get our groceries, let alone go on vacation without the vehicles that we drive or even the public transportation that we use. Some of us even drive our cars for pure enjoyment.
The Wheel
The invention of the wheel paved the way for transportation as we know it today. Historians don’t know exactly who invented the wheel, but the oldest wheel discovered so far is believed to be over 5,500 years old.
The development of the wheel began when humans sought easier methods for moving large objects. It was recognized that round objects, such as a log, could be placed under something heavy to push it along with less force.
Next humans began using a sledge. A sledge is essentially what today we would call a sled. A sledge worked well over smooth ground or with logs placed under it as it was pulled along. Eventually the sledge wore grooves in the log rollers. The grooved rollers worked better since there was less friction between the sledge and the rollers, so less energy was needed to drag the sledge.
It wasn’t long before humans cut away the wood between the two inner grooves created by the sledge. The wood left between the grooves became the axle. These were the first carts. Next, axles were designed to fit through holes in the center of each wheel. Finally, axles were designed not to move themselves, but rather to have the wheel rotate on the axle.
The ancient Egyptians, Indians, Greeks and Romans continued to improve the design of the wheel, adding spokes and creating a variety of wheels for different sorts of vehicles including chariots for war, hunting, and racing, two-wheeled farm carts, covered carriages, heavy four-wheeled freight wagons and passenger coaches
The development of the wheel began when humans sought easier methods for moving large objects. It was recognized that round objects, such as a log, could be placed under something heavy to push it along with less force.
Next humans began using a sledge. A sledge is essentially what today we would call a sled. A sledge worked well over smooth ground or with logs placed under it as it was pulled along. Eventually the sledge wore grooves in the log rollers. The grooved rollers worked better since there was less friction between the sledge and the rollers, so less energy was needed to drag the sledge.
It wasn’t long before humans cut away the wood between the two inner grooves created by the sledge. The wood left between the grooves became the axle. These were the first carts. Next, axles were designed to fit through holes in the center of each wheel. Finally, axles were designed not to move themselves, but rather to have the wheel rotate on the axle.
The ancient Egyptians, Indians, Greeks and Romans continued to improve the design of the wheel, adding spokes and creating a variety of wheels for different sorts of vehicles including chariots for war, hunting, and racing, two-wheeled farm carts, covered carriages, heavy four-wheeled freight wagons and passenger coaches
Horse Power
For centuries wheeled vehicles were pulled by oxen, horses or even people. Until the invention of the internal combustion engine, the horse was Europe's most important source of energy. The term 'horsepower' is still used today to measure the power limits of machine engines.
Horses allowed civilizations to extend their power and expand their territories. When paired with wheeled vehicles such as carts, chariots and carriages, this harnessed power allowed people more freedom to travel, explore and settle new land.
However, even horse drawn transportation came with its own source of pollution. Waste from horses was a serious concern in cities and it became more and more difficult to maintain sanitary conditions as the number of people and, therefore, horses grew. Concerns over these conditions led some innovators to look towards alternative forms of transportation.
Horses allowed civilizations to extend their power and expand their territories. When paired with wheeled vehicles such as carts, chariots and carriages, this harnessed power allowed people more freedom to travel, explore and settle new land.
However, even horse drawn transportation came with its own source of pollution. Waste from horses was a serious concern in cities and it became more and more difficult to maintain sanitary conditions as the number of people and, therefore, horses grew. Concerns over these conditions led some innovators to look towards alternative forms of transportation.
Car Culture
Owning a car in the 1890s was like owning a private plane today. Thanks to the success of assembly line production, Ford’s Model T became the first car that was affordable to the masses. The Model T was produced on an assembly line by workers who were paid a wage proportionate to the cost of the car. This method of production “put America on wheels,” and the Model T was declared the most influential car of the 20th century.
Lives changed in the United States as people took advantage of the freedom cars afforded them. Americans embraced automobiles as they became an integral part of farming, industry and family transportation. Our communities have expanded; we can travel further on vacation and see more of our world. We now receive goods from all over the world to supply our needs.
Lives changed in the United States as people took advantage of the freedom cars afforded them. Americans embraced automobiles as they became an integral part of farming, industry and family transportation. Our communities have expanded; we can travel further on vacation and see more of our world. We now receive goods from all over the world to supply our needs.
Cars of the Future
The invention of the car has certainly shaped cultures around the world. But will cars always be our primary source of transportation? Serious concerns about air pollution from exhaust emissions and its contribution to global climate change are forcing us to consider alternatives to the internal combustion engine and to look for alternative energy sources. Today, more and more people are driving electric cars and hybrid vehicles, which use a combination of electrical and gas powered energy.The benefits of electric and hybrid vehicles are that they run quieter and cleaner and can reduce our current dependency on petroleum while limiting our contribution to accumulating greenhouse gases.
In the early 1900’s, some predicted that road travel would be a thing of the past before the end of the century. They believed that it would not be long before we’d be getting around in our own little aircraft. Many of us do dream of a day when
our vehicles will get us where we want to go faster, easier, cheaper and cleaner!
The young scientists that sit and learn before our very eyes have ideas of their own. Let’s give them the knowledge, tools and time to dream.
In the early 1900’s, some predicted that road travel would be a thing of the past before the end of the century. They believed that it would not be long before we’d be getting around in our own little aircraft. Many of us do dream of a day when
our vehicles will get us where we want to go faster, easier, cheaper and cleaner!
The young scientists that sit and learn before our very eyes have ideas of their own. Let’s give them the knowledge, tools and time to dream.
