4929675
1st Steamboat
- Contributors
- French Contributors:
Claude-François-Dorothée, marquis de
Jouffroy d’Abban was a French nobleman who
was also the first person to attempt to make a
steamboat. His first trial was on the Doubs
River in 1776. It wasn't a success, but his
second trial could be considered one. He used
an engine that was much bigger and had two
paddle wheels instead of “duck feet” for the
second trial. The boat moved up the Saône
River for about fifteen minutes before
breaking due to the engine being too
powerful. There were other French inventors
that attempted to innovate Jouffroy’s model,
but their work was cut off by the French
Revolution.
- American Contributors (not
including Robert Fulton): James
Rumsey, an inn operator at
Virginia’s Bath Spa Inn, wanted to
interest George Washington in his
steamboat model. Virginia and
Maryland gave Rumsey a large
portion of their territory for his
steamboat navigation because they
saw that George Washington
supported it. John Fitch, a
clothmaker from Connecticut,
decided to attempt developing a
steamboat. After a hard time
attempting to get support, Fitch
managed to create a boat had a
successful trial in 1787. In 1788, he
and his coworker Henry Voight
managed to sail 20 miles, the
furthest distance that any
steamboat had traveled at the time.
- British Contributors:
In 1788, William
Symington created a
steamboat that
operated at five miles
per hour, faster than
his previous
steamboats. He
eventually created
one that could go 7
miles per hour. In
1801, he was hired to
build a steam tug for
Lord Dundas. Even
though the boat’s
trips were successful,
it was banned from
traveling along banks
for fear of erosion.
This discouraged
other British
inventors from
innovating the
steamboat.
- Robert Fulton: The
steamboat was tested on
August 9, 1803 on the
Seline River in Paris,
France. At this point, the
steamboat didn’t go more
than 2.9 miles per hour.
This was only Robert
Fulton's first version of the
steamboat. In December
1806, Robert Fulton
returned to the U.S. to
create a better steamboat
with Robert Livingston. The
“North River Steamboat”
sailed upstream on the
Hudson River on August 17,
1807 from the state prison.
It reached Albany 8 hours
later and ran at an average
rate of 5 miles per hour.
Shortly after, the
steamboat began
commercial service,
making round trips from
New York City to Albany. It
was a huge success for
Fulton and Livingston.
- French Contributors:
Claude-François-Dorothée, marquis de
Jouffroy d’Abban was a French nobleman who
was also the first person to attempt to make a
steamboat. His first trial was on the Doubs
River in 1776. It wasn't a success, but his
second trial could be considered one. He used
an engine that was much bigger and had two
paddle wheels instead of “duck feet” for the
second trial. The boat moved up the Saône
River for about fifteen minutes before
breaking due to the engine being too
powerful. There were other French inventors
that attempted to innovate Jouffroy’s model,
but their work was cut off by the French
Revolution.
- History/Background
- Before steamboats,
boats were powdery
the wind. Wind power
wasn't powerful
enough to push boats
upstream. This made
it hard to transport
goods to some places.
- The steamboat was
innovated by different
people in various places.
These places include
America, Britain, and
France. Robert Fulton, the
main inventor of the
steamboat, started working
on the steamboat in Britain
and France, but later
moved to America to
continue with his progress.
He made his most
successful steamboat in
America.
- A few improvements on the
steamboat’s design made it
easier to operate. Some of
them included
higher-pressure steam,
expanded engines, and
different hulls. At first, wood
was burned to boil the
water, but over time,
inventors learned that coal
and oil worked more
efficiently.
- Before steamboats,
boats were powdery
the wind. Wind power
wasn't powerful
enough to push boats
upstream. This made
it hard to transport
goods to some places.
- Essential Questions
- How would
shipping be
different today if
the steamboat
wasn't ever
invented?
- How did the
steamboat
change
America's
economy?
- How did the
steamboat
change the
course of the
Civil War?
- How would
shipping be
different today if
the steamboat
wasn't ever
invented?
- Invention Details
- The steamboat is a boat that uses a Watt engine
or a variant of it to propel itself forward in water.
Watt engines are powerful enough to push
against the flow of water. Watt engines boil
water to create steam. The steam enters a
container where the pressure builds until it
pushes off a lid or opens a valve. The steam exits
the opening and the energy is used to push the
paddles on the steamboat. A few improvements
on the steamboat’s design made it easier to
operate. Some of them included higher-pressure
steam, expanded engines, and different hulls.
- Watt engines boil water to create steam. The
steam enters a container where the pressure
builds until it pushes off a lid or opens a valve.
The steam exits the opening and the energy is
used to push the paddles on the steamboat.
- Below is a picture of a steamboat on the Mississippi River. Source:
http://www.glogster.com/mariah232/huck-finn-map/g-6lvmlgovvivsb91pcarkaa0
- The steamboat is a boat that uses a Watt engine
or a variant of it to propel itself forward in water.
Watt engines are powerful enough to push
against the flow of water. Watt engines boil
water to create steam. The steam enters a
container where the pressure builds until it
pushes off a lid or opens a valve. The steam exits
the opening and the energy is used to push the
paddles on the steamboat. A few improvements
on the steamboat’s design made it easier to
operate. Some of them included higher-pressure
steam, expanded engines, and different hulls.
- impact on Society
- Economic Effects: The steamboat made it
easier for people to transport goods to
different places. The steamboat was
powerful enough to travel upstream.
Boats before the steamboat couldn’t do
that, so people would sometimes have to
transport goods by land. The steamboat
made it easier for manufacturers to
transport their good to places upstream
of them. It also opened up a new
transportation business, like when
railroads and trains came to America. In
1811, Fulton and Livingston opened an
official steamboat service on the
Mississippi River. After a while, the need
for steamboat transportation in the
inland was replaced with trains.
Steamboats were then strong enough to
be used in oceans.
- Political Effects: The
steamboat encouraged trade
between states because it
made trading between states
faster, cheaper, and easier. It
also made communication
between cities and states
easier.
- Social Effects:
Steamboats inspired
people to travel and
create. Many people
were surprised by
what is possible with
inventing. It made
people more
confident in the
nation’s potential.
- Economic Effects: The steamboat made it
easier for people to transport goods to
different places. The steamboat was
powerful enough to travel upstream.
Boats before the steamboat couldn’t do
that, so people would sometimes have to
transport goods by land. The steamboat
made it easier for manufacturers to
transport their good to places upstream
of them. It also opened up a new
transportation business, like when
railroads and trains came to America. In
1811, Fulton and Livingston opened an
official steamboat service on the
Mississippi River. After a while, the need
for steamboat transportation in the
inland was replaced with trains.
Steamboats were then strong enough to
be used in oceans.
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