Thoughts on the Book
The author states that the world would be much different today if ships weren't around. I completely agree with this. While most of the book might be just facts, his simplistic yet detailed writing style is quick to catch your attention. His thesis doesn't reoccur throughout the book since most of the book is just facts, however the facts are written in such a way that grasps the reader's attention quickly. Pictures and diagrams always help with writing, especially when the author is constantly describing how the ships might have looked. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, but if you aren't interested in the topic, I would not recommend it. It goes into heavy detail, especially when talking about ancient ships/boats, but if that's your kind of thing then I would highly recommend reading the book. Even this book is written more as a story instead of listing facts, all of the author's facts seem to check out. He is a credible man with very high ratings, and his story-telling and writing abilities are insurmountable.
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Steamboats changed the world
Steamboats didn't just appear out of the water (literally). Americans James Ramsey and John Fitch were the first people to come up with the steamboat idea and design. Other people designed steamboats during the late 18th century, though none were successful. In 1805, Oliver Evans drove a steamboat. Nothing special, right? Wrong. It was mounted on wheels and he drove it through Philadelphia to show the public that the steamboat theory did hold water. The first successful steamboat voyage was down the East Coast in 1807 by a man named Robert Fulton. The West Coast felt a little left out, so a steamboat completed that voyage just four years later in 1811. Steamboats weren't just meant for oceans, however. They were perfect fits for traveling down large enough rivers. One not-so-short steamboat ride down the Ohio and Mississippi later and you were in New Orleans. Steamboats would also travel from New York to Albany and back in five days. While this might seem super slow in today's standards and understanding of speed and time, it was record breaking back then. Fulton, like everyone else back then, held a monopoly. It only lasted three years, and after that, steamboats appeared everywhere.
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Ships have truly transformed the world into a much smaller area, especially because in order to travel to another continent before the 19th century, you had to use a boat or ship. Steamboats were really what kicked things into gear and made people comfortable and excited about boat travel. People could ship and receive products easily and efficiently. It all started in 1815. Steamboats were the main vessels on the water because they were efficient, powerful, and relatively easy to produce due to the industrial revolution. However, it wasn't all lollipops and dandelions when it came to steamboat sailing. Explosions were a major concern on steamboats, and the fact that they were common and even fatal didn't make things better.
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Big Picture
It wasn't just steamboats that changed the world. Ships in general have been a major plus in warfare, exploration, transport, and even leisure. Being able to float on water and travel the world with around 5,000 other people is nothing short of impeccable. One concern I see with ships/boats being our future is the possibility of sinking. This has always been a concern, especially with older, less reliable ships. However, technology can only go so far and if some water gets into the ship or boat and damages the electronics, back to square one we go. We don't have to reinvent the wheel when it comes to ship making, but making them safer can only go so far. In the future, maybe we could have perfectly stable ships with gyroscopes and balancing systems on them. That way, if you go into a storm with enormous waves, the ship won't tip over. It would be absolute smooth sailing.