Civilizations have always produced, purchased, and traded goods. Early humans struggled to bring their wares to markets and city centers, so they innovated a more efficient way of transporting goods. Here is a brief history of cargo transportation, from ancient times to the modern day.

Boats and Rafts

One of the simplest and quickest ways to travel was waterways—rivers! Early humans built boats and rafts to get around and transport goods. The oldest discovered boat, called the Pesse canoe, dates back to 7600 BCE.

Horses and Wheels

Experts estimate that humans domesticated the first horses around 4000 BCE. The wheel was invented around the same time, and by 3500 BCE, wheeled vehicles were in use throughout Mesopotamia and Central Europe. The Bronocice pot, an artifact from this period, depicts a four-wheeled wagon with two axles.

These horse-drawn wagons would have made it much easier for farmers and artisans to transport their goods to markets.

Steam Power

While boats, wagons, and other wheeled vehicles continued to advance throughout the centuries, the invention of steam power really changed the game. In 1769, the Watt steam engine quickly advanced many different types of travel.

The steam engine was introduced at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution and quickly put to good use. In 1783, Claude de Jouffroy invented the world’s first steamship.

It wasn’t until American inventor Robert Fulton tried his hand at steam power that the steamship caught on. His invention and the subsequent prevalence of the steamship made transporting cargo by river quicker and more efficient than ever before.

Train Transport

The steamship was not the only form of transportation to make good use of the steam engine. Locomotives, invented in 1801, relied on steam to run. However, it wasn’t until 1814 that the first locomotive designed for cargo transport was unveiled. The “Blucher,” invented by George Stephenson of Britain, was able to travel four miles an hour while hauling 30 tons of coal uphill. Train travel was widely adopted, and railway lines spread across countries. Cargo was being shipped faster than ever before!

The Modern Era

There is a great deal of history behind cargo transportation. Humans continue to innovate, shipping packages faster and more securely than ever before. Planes fly parcels across countries in a matter of hours. Cargo restraint systems keep packages from breaking in transit. The wide network of truckers and delivery drivers bring their cargo to our literal doorsteps, sometimes in a matter of hours.

It’s truly amazing how far the human race’s creativity, drive, and innovation have taken us!