Figure 1.--By the 1940s, bus lines such as Greyhound were competing with the railroads for passenger trffic, especially for shorthauls. Here we see passengers waiting for a bus at the Greyhound station in Memphis, Tennessee during World War II (1943). We are not sure what the boy has in his hands. Freight contnued to be delivered primarily by rail.

Commerce in colonial America was largely conducted by sea, primarily with Britain. Commerce between colonies was more limited and also largely conducted by sea. There were roads out into the country from towns and the few small cities. There were no developed roads conndcting the few major cities. All important American cities had seaports, even Philadelphia. America developed an important ship building and maritime industry. This began as an offshoot of fishing vessel construction in New England. Trade with England and illegal trade with other countries was vital to the colonies so merchannt vessel construction became important. These early vessels were rough hewn, but sturdy. And unlike English shippyard there was a ready supply of timber available. Wood construction reached the epitome of sail boat design with the China clippers. Transport became a major issue as Americans after the Independence began moving west in substantial mumbrtrs. This involved crossing the Appalachians. Crossing the Appaclins was one thing. Shipping produce back across the Appalachins on a virtually northeastern cities was another matter. The shipping cost more than the value of the product. One option was to convert corn to whiskey, meaning rrducing the volume. This led to the Whiskey Rebellion (1794). What most farmers were forced to do was to load their produce on flatboats (rafts) and flot down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to New Orleans where thevcargo could be shipped by sea. A young Abraham Lincoln was one individual who made this trip (1828). The raft would be sold for timber and the men involved had to walk back north on foot. This is why New Orleans became the largest America city. The Erie Canal provided an easier route west as well as delivering Western produce to New York City (1821). The steam engine wouod solve the American transport problem. The pronlem of the homeward journey was solved by the paddlewheel steamboats. First was the Paddlewheel steamboats played a major in transport before the railroads on the Mississippi and its tributaries (1810s-60s). Steambots used existing waterways, The railroads required building subsatatial infrastructure. Building began (1830s). Steam power and industrialiazation led to iron and then steel vesels. Steam power, iron construction, and the screw propeller came together at the same time to revolutionize ship building and maritime transport. The same steam shipos that carried Amertucan priductioin to Wurope brought European immigrants to Aneriuca in huge numbers. Land transport was vital for economic development. The final major step in rail infrasructure was the Inter-Continental Railroad (1869). There were cord roads in the early-19th century, but signiicant land transport did not develop until the construction of the railroads. Actual roads were only marhinally imoroved even by the turn-of-the 20th century. While the railroad connected the country. There were no roads that connected the coountry. This began to change when Henry Ford invented the Model-T. Americans adopted the automobile with a passion began buying Model-Ts and other cars in large numbers. After Wirld War I, busses began to cvompete eith the rail roads. Railrod pasanger service begn to decline fter Wotkd War II, but freight transports contibued to be vital. Suses became incvreasingly imprtnt for passanger trival. Americans had cars and buses, but they did not have many decent highways. None other than a young officer named Dwight Eisenhower went on acoast-to-coast U.S. Army convoy which highlighted the inadequate American road system (1919). Wiil Rogers would quip that "America is the only countytry to go to the poor house in an automoble". All those car owners began demanding improved highways. Four decades later that same Dwight Eisenhower after viewing the German Autobahns at the end of World War II would launch the American Interstate Highway System (1950s). American xmpanies began offering passenger air service. (1920s). After World War II, air travel became thanks to the magic of capitalism became a mode of travel that all could enjoy. Evebtually the Federal Governmnt had to interbene to save rail passanger transportation, creating AMTRACK.

Created: 8:46 PM 4/8/2022
Last updated: 8:46 PM 4/8/2022