Transportation
Traveling to The West was a very dangerous journey, especially in the early 19th century; where the only mode of transportation was a horse and carriage. This provided very little resistance to the elements and offered almost no protection from attackers. As the 19th century progressed, the most influential invention of the time period was created. The Steam Engine. The steam engine created a whole new world of opportunities for travelers headed west. It was a safer, faster, and more reliable mode of transport. It also created a much faster way for goods to be transported back east, making the west a gold mine, not literally yet. This soon led to the creation of The Transcontinental Railroad, connecting the US from coast to coast. |