Trains Impact On Society

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Although there are several technologies that have made an impact on different societies throughout the world, the train seems to be the one that stood out to me the most. Trains began in the early 1800s and since have continued to aid humans all over the world in political, social, environmental, and cultural aspects. Understanding the historical setting that invited the rise of this new technology, the continuous change it underwent to aid society, and the unforeseen consequences of its arrival is crucial in order to recognize just how big of an influence the train had on our entire world. Discussing how people view trains today is also important so that we may try and predict the future of this long-lasting piece of technology. The question …show more content…

Trains have been altered several times over the years to accurately aid the needs of the society it is utilized in. As described in the historical setting above, trains have taken many different forms over the years and have ultimately led to the design we have today. Each year society seems to want everything more quickly and readily. This includes moving both goods and themselves across long distances in a short amount of time. Trains gave them this opportunity. Initially, trains weren’t as fast or powerful as they are today, but for the time being, it was the best they had. Before cars, “wagonways” or horse drawn “trains” were the most effective way to move what they needed or themselves from place to place. However, when cars were invented, trains seemed to become less popular. Society become more individualistic and cars allowed for the personal transportation. The railroad was affected hugely by the rise of the car and “Rail passenger-miles traveled per capita fell steadily from 1920 to 1929 decreasing over 40 percent…” (Hess). Societal changes have major effects on technologies and their success. The train, once the most efficient way to travel, had been pushed aside for the automobile. The social and cultural aspects were the biggest factors in this change. Once the car became popular and mass produced, citizens could afford it and be a part of the new, independent group in society. More advanced …show more content…

Trains seem to have had a very positive impact on each society that adopted it. The three greatest values of the train that I picked from an article called “Effect of Railroads on the United States”, by Martin Kelly, were the following: it “bound countries together and allowed for distant travel”, served as an “outlet for products”, and “stimulated commerce”. These seemed to be 3 different view points on why the train was valuable as well as the most impactful results. To begin, the train helped to close the distance from place to place, making travelling much easier. This led to the expansions of nations and made for a more “interconnected society” (Kelly). As distances to travel decreased, the steady spread of population increased. Population was not the only thing to increase though. The number of products and goods that could be moved from country to country or place to place expanded causing a growth in markets and production. The value of this is best described in Kelly’s words from the article, “Thus, there was a two-fold effect on products: the sellers found new markets in which to sell their goods and individuals who lived on the frontier were able to obtain goods that were previously unavailable or extremely hard to get”. A mechanical invention made a lasting impact on both the sellers and consumers throughout the country and the world. It benefitted both the economical

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