One of the greatest inventions in the history of the world is the invention of the ship. There have been many individuals that have contributed to the making of ships. And these individuals are responsible for the strides that ships have made that have changed communities around the world. Ships have come a long way from the time of floating rafts. Now, ships are everywhere. There are ocean liners, submarines, aircraft carriers, and many more ships dedicated to enhancing the lives of communities everywhere. Ships play a major part in life today, and they did in history as well. Not only have the ships been important to communities, but the individuals that are responsible for the great strides in the industry have been important to the communities as well. They are the individuals that have truly changed the lives of the people in their communities. They changed and enhanced commu nities by their great success with the making and inventing of ships. Thus, the individuals that have furthered the making of ships are responsible for changing the lives of the people in their communities, and in communities around the world.
The history of ships is said to have begun in the time of a man by the name of Archimedes. He was a great mathematician and inventor. He is the man who discovered buoyancy. It is said that while taking a bath, Archimedes shouted "Eureka" because he had realized that the concept of floatation of heavy objects was possible. Archimedes then developed Archimedes' Principle, which states that an object is buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the fluid the object displaces. Thus, Archimedes discovered that the concept of a ship was possible and highly practical. Archimedes brought to light the idea of an object that is very heavy floating on water. Archimedes thus changed his community, and the communities of the future. He was the man who made ships possible. He allowed a future time of invention, transportation, and exploration. Through his discovery, Archimedes changed the lives of his community, and the lives of many other communities around the world, including the commu nities of today. He allowed the building of rafts, which then evolved into sailboats. Sailboats allowed the wind to transport the boats across the seas, enhancing trading and travel. Thus, in the beginning, Archimedes started the concept of floatation, which later led to sailboats.
Even though the sailboats were a highly effective means of transport, the wind was sometimes a problem. If the wind did not provide enough power to drive the ship, men would have to start to row. The use of oars, though, was unneeded when a man by the name of John Fitch introduced his new steam engine. John Fitch was one individual who led to a change in the entire community.
John Fitch was an American inventor and metal craftsman who was born on a farm in Windsor Township, Connecticut. Fitch only went through six years of schooling before starting a career in brass work. Later he became an accomplished silversmith and army lieutenant. Finally, he turned his attention to the building of a steam engine that would power ships instead of using oars powered by men. Fitch began his steam engine operation in 1787, twenty years before Robert Fulton's Clermont. Fitch launched the boat down the Delaware River, which was propelled by six paddles, but driven by a steam engine. The boat worked, and in 1788, he launched a steam engine boat for passenger travel. Passengers could travel from Philadelphia to Burlington, New Jersey. The operation went smoothly for awhile, but there were not enough people traveling on the boat to support the cost of the entire operation. Due to financial difficulties, Fitch ended his steam engine operation. But, Fitch left a lasting legacy for the people of the future. With his steamboat operation, Fitch demonstrated that transport could be accomplished by something other than manpower. Fitch changed the lives of the people in his community. He allowed the people of Philadelphia and Burlington to travel across a waterway by engine power. He introduced the concept of steam engine boats, and thus furthered the boating industry. Therefore, Fitch made an impact on the members of his community and on the communities of the future.
Fitch was not the only man to make great strides in the shipping industry with the introduction of a steam engine. Robert Fulton also introduced his steam engine twenty years later. Fitch had laid the framework for the steam engine, but Fulton was the man who made the steam engine a success. And along with the steam engine success, Fulton introduced the concept of a submarine.
Yet another man that changed the world was Donald McKay. At about the same time of Fulton's steam engines, McKay was a man that was making great strides in the industry of sailing ships. Even though steam propulsion was invented, it was still rather new and unperfected. The sailing ship was still a major player in transportation. The sailing ship was still being perfected, and one man, McKay, was the individual behind the perfection.
Donald McKay was a master craftsman who was born in Shelbourne County, Nova Scotia. McKay was involved in the shipping industry as a young man. He worked as an apprentice at the local shipyard, and when he grew up he owned his own shipyard. Later in life, McKay built what is called a clipper ship. During his career, he built over ninety clipper ships. Clipper ships are sailing ships. They were the fastest sailing vessels of their time. Also, clipper ships were known for their grace and seaworthiness. In 1851, the Flying Cloud sailed around Cape Horn from New York to San Francisco. It set a record time and a record speed on its voyage. Donald McKay's clipper ships helped to enhance the travel of many communities and launched an entirely new type of sailboat. It was this type of boat that led to the popular sport of sailing. Thus, Donald McKay was an individual that changed the lives of the people in his community and communities around the world. The clipper ship allowed people of its time to travel long distances in a relatively short time. Not only did the boat help on the time factor of sailing, but it also led to the sport of sailing. McKay played a major part in the building of the clipper ship, and the clipper ship played a major part in the future sport of sailing. McKay's ship revolutionized sailing forever. Sailing became time efficient and enjoyable. It was because of McKay that the clipper ship came about. This one individual changed transportation forever.
Likewise, another individual that revolutionized transportation forever was John Ericsson. The clipper ships and steam engines were a great means of transport, but Ericsson had a better idea. Ericsson believed that ships needed a new means of power. He felt that a more efficient way of sailing was possible. Ericsson was a man that revolutionized the shipping industry with his successful use of screw propellers.
John Ericsson was an engineer and inventor that was born in the province of Varmland, Sweden. At an early age, Ericsson showed innovation by designing a canal system for Sweden. Later, Ericsson moved to the United States and enhanced the shipping industry through his inventions. He is credited with almost two thousand inventions, but one of his most famous inventions was the screw propeller. Ericsson introduced the successful use of screw propellers on commercial and naval vessels. The screw propeller was a great piece of equipment that was used in the design of the Monitor. Ericsson designed the ship using the propeller, and with the propeller, led a successful battle with the Virginia in 1862. The Monitor was a warship with two mounted guns in an armored turret. The ship was the symbol of the future ironclad warship. Ericsson was an individual who revolutionized the shipping industry. He allowed the ship to withstand modern artillery fire and be capable of giving devastating replies as well. It was the first time in history that a ship was given such capabilities.
Ericsson changed the community of the navy. He gave the navy a ship that was safe and powerful. Through the use of the ship, lives were saved and the navy was better equipped to handle battles. The Monitor was the beginning of the successful use of propellers. Ericsson's use of the propeller led to many changes in the shipping industry and therefore the community. The propeller introduced an entirely new means of power, and allowed many new strides to be taken in the industry. Also, with the successful use of the propeller, strides could be taken in the work of the submarine that Fulton had previously begun. Thus, Ericsson changed and bettered the lives of the members of his community. The ship that he designed saved lives and brought improvement to the building of a successful submarine.
And finally, another man that helped in the navy war effort was a man named Henry John Kaiser. He used the assembly line method to build his ships, thus increasing the number of ships available and the speed with which they were built. He was a man that greatly helped the World War effort, and in doing so helped the people of his community, along with communities around the world.
Henry John Kaiser was a shipbuilder that was born in Sprout Brook, New York. He left school at a young age to begin his work as a builder. He later formed his own corporation and began to build ships. Then, during World War II, Kaiser began to build ships in a new and innovative way. Kaiser began to use assembly line methods for the building of his ships. Instead of building from the keel up, he built his ships in separate sections and welded the sections together in a few days. This method created job positions to be filled and also allowed the navy to gain a number of ships in a short period of time. Kaiser helped his community through his work. He gave the navy a bigger fleet and therefore did his part in the war effort. With the help of the steam engine, and the propeller, ships became more efficient and safe. The individuals that invented the objects are responsible for the great strides in the industry. And with these great strides in the industry, men like Kaiser could come along and build them in a faster way, thus improving the industry that much more. With the help of the inventors and innovators, the shipping industry improved immensely. The improvement of the industry impacted the lives of communities everywhere, and continues to do so. It is do to a few individuals that the improvements of ships were made. Thus, the individuals had an impact on the communities of their time.
Not only did the individuals have an impact on the communities of their time, but the individuals made an impact on the future as well. With the inventions and innovations of the past, other individuals now build on those inventions thus leading the shipping industry into the future. There have been many new tasks accomplished due to ships and there continue to be many more tasks that need to be accomplished. Now, there are hovercrafts, which hover above the water, yet still appear to sail. Many types of submarines have been built including nuclear submarines. Deep-diving submersibles have also been built for exploration and discovery. And, icebreakers have come into existence to break the ice that clogs waterways. Each individual that contributes to the invention of ship parts or the making of new ships impacts the community. Nuclear subs protect the community, and submersibles can discover new species or new places along the ocean bottom that can help people understand the world around them. Also, icebreakers save lives and allow for continued water travel in freezing temperatures. Thus, each individual impacts the community through their work in the shipping industry. And in the future, many other individuals will innovate and invent to make transportation more efficient and effective.
Therefore, the individuals that have furthered the making of ships are responsible for changing the lives of the people in their communities, and in communities around the world. Ships have truly impacted many people and continue to do so. Individuals such as Fulton, McKay, and Ericsson have forever changed the lives of communities, and in the future there will be many more people who will do the same. These people will save lives, create jobs, allow the saving of money, and better the world. Through the innovations in the shipping industry, transportation will become faster and more economic. New inventions will be made, and new methods will be discovered. There is a very bright future for the shipping industry. There are endless possibilities to be reached. And individuals will reach the possibilities and forever change the lives of the people of the future. Thus, the individual of the future, through involvement in the shipping industry, will continue to affect the lives of the people in many communities across the world.