Steamboats!
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What is a steamboat and how is it better?
A steamboat is a boat that is powered by a propelling steam engine. This is efficient because it moves much faster than a boat that uses the wind or current to move. Steamboats provide faster transportation of goods or materials.
Information of Early Steamboats
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The improved version of the steam engine, patented by James Watt, ushered the Industrial Revolution. The idea of using steam power to propel boats came to inventors very soon after the potential of James Watt's invention became known. This new power had sparked the minds of the young inventors.
Who Invented the Steamboat?
The first person to build a steamboat and perform a test on it in the United States was John Fitch. His first steamboat was 45 feet long which sailed down the Delaware River. John Fitch built four more steamboats, but they were very expensive to build and operate. Because of this, his steamboats were unsuccessful.
The first SUCCESSFUL steamboat, the Clermont, was built by Robert Fulton. The Clermont made it's first 40-mile voyage from New York to Albany in a record 8 hours on the Hudson River. After this voyage, Robert Fulton's steamboat made regular trips from Albany to New York every four days. On occasion, the steamboat would carry almost 100 passengers. Robert Fulton had found a way to make the steamboat useful and profitable.
Advantages of the Steamboat
The boat's steam-powered engine gave it the power to move at a much faster pace than boats that used the wind or current to move across bodies of water. Steamboats could go upstream on a river and not slow down when the wind stalled.
Disadvantages of the Steamboat
Of course, the steamboat did have some problems to it. The boilers that produced the steam power could explode if there were to be too much pressure . The engineers could only estimate how much pressure the boilers could withstand before exploding.
This was a problem, if too much pressure was applied, it could be very dangerous.
This was a problem, if too much pressure was applied, it could be very dangerous.
The Importance of Steamboats to North Dakota
Steamboats brought people and business to North Dakota. Bismarck was an important transportation center at the Missouri River Port. During the time of the steamboats, freight was hauled to Bismarck, which was a major distribution point and travel center.
The Steamboat Warehouse Historic Marker is located on the east bank of the Missouri River in Bismarck, North Dakota. This marker commemorates the Northern Pacific Railroad warehouse, which was built to store goods waiting for their intermediate destination between other steamboats and freight trains.
The Steamboat Warehouse Historic Marker is located on the east bank of the Missouri River in Bismarck, North Dakota. This marker commemorates the Northern Pacific Railroad warehouse, which was built to store goods waiting for their intermediate destination between other steamboats and freight trains.
Steamboat
Located in Bismarck, ND, right by the Missouri River.
Steamboat Warehouse
Steamboat Warehouse Historic Marker
Located in Bismarck, ND, on the east bank of the Missouri River.
The Steamboat - History Key Assignment - February 2014
Contact Information
Email: steamboats@beststeamboats.com
Website: beststeamboats.com
Location: 223 Steamboat Street
Facebook: facebook.com/beststeamboats