A History of Travel in 50 Vehicles (History in 50 Series)

by Paula Grey, Phillip Hoose (Editor)

Overview

Paula Grey explores how creative thinkers—collaborating or competing and always building on the work of their predecessors—have envisioned new ways to move about in the world.

The story of travel is the human story. From the first migrations out of Africa on weary feet to horses, camels, rafts, chariots, steamships, trains, hot air balloons, cars, submarines, and moon rockets, humans have combined imagination, daring, and technical brilliance to create new vehicles and improve existing ones. Geography and culture have influenced the development of vehicles in far-flung parts of the world, and human travel has, in turn, exerted a profound influence on society and the environment. Whether escaping deprivation, pestilence, persecution, oppression, or fear—or seeking abundance, freedom, fame, fortune, or a fresh start—we have always been a traveling species, and it seems we always will be. Here is the story of humankind’s restless impulse to see what’s over the next ridge, beyond the next sunrise, on the next planet. Enjoy the journey!

Fountas & Pinnell Level Z+

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780884483984
Publisher:	Tilbury House Publishers
Publication date:	09/06/2016
Series:	History in 50 Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
File size:	67 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Paula Grey is a former grant writer, software technical writer, and technical editor. She has written a variety of short fiction and nonfiction, and this is her first published work. Paula enjoys traveling by land, sea, or air whenever she gets the opportunity.
Phillip Hoose is the widely acclaimed author of books, essays, stories, songs, and articles including the National Book Award - and Newbery Honor - winning book Claudette Colvin: Twice toward Justice and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor winner The Boys Who Challenged Hitler: Knud Pedersen and the Churchill Club. A graduate of Indiana University and the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, Hoose was for 37 years a staff member of The Nature Conservancy, dedicated to preserving the plants, animals, and natural communities of the Earth.

Table of Contents

Presenting the History in 50 Series Phillip Hoose ix

Introduction: Vehicles and Travel xiii

1 Shoes: Feet First! 1

Walking as Sport 4

Moon Boots 4

2 Litters: Moving Those Who Cannot Walk 5

3 Dugouts: The First Boats 9

4 Reed Rafts and Boats: As Old as Dugouts? 13

Papyrus 15

5 Planked Wooden Boats: The Shipbuilder's Art 17

Mortise-and-Tenon Construction 20

Naval Warfare 20

6 Sailors: Harnessing Wind for at Least 6,000 Years 21

Sails for Land Vehicles 24

Sailing in Space 24

7 Skis: Speed on the Slopes 25

8 Horses: To Ride Like the Wind 29

A Horse Extinction 31

The Charge of the Elephants 32

9 The Wheel: Keep on Rolling 33

Evolution of the Wheel 36

10 Chariots: Shock and Awe on the Battlefield 37

Chariots as High Tech 40

11 Aerial Lifts: In Use More than 2,000 Years 41

Record Breakers 43

12 Camels: Ships of the Desert 45

The Silk Road 47

Camels in America and Australia 48

13 Dogsleds: Driving Through the Snow 49

The Iditarod 52

14 Chinese Treasure Ships: Supertankers of the Ancient World 53

How Far Did the Chinese Travel? 55

Erasing History 56

15 Wheelchairs: Mobility for All 57

Wheelchairs for Everyone 60

16 Horse-Drawn Carriages: Traveling in Style 61

The Royal Carriages 64

17 Yachts: Boating for Pleasure 65

The America's Cap 68

18 Taxicabs: Wheels for Hire 69

Ride-Sharing 72

19 Submarines: To the Bottom of the Sea 73

Personal Submarines 76

20 Stagecoaches: Three Centuries of Service 77

21 Buses: Another of Pascal's Great Ideas 81

Jeepneys and Chicken Buses 84

The Yellow School Bus 84

22 Automobiles: "Get a Horse!" 85

Henry Ford and Mass Production 88

The Automobile and Demand for Oil 89

23 Hot Air Balloons: Up, Up, and Away 91

Nazca Lines 94

24 Steamships: Ocean Travel on a Schedule 95

Working Paddle Wheelers 98

25 Steam Locomotives: All Aboard! 99

How the U.S. Got Its Time Zones 101

The Woman in the White Dress 102

26 Amphibious Vehicles: One if by Land, Two if by Sea? 103

Around the World in 10 Years 106

27 Covered Wagons: On the Oregon Trail 107

Busting the Myths About Covered Wagons 109

Newest Isn't Always Best 110

28 Ocean Liners: Huddled Masses in Steerage 111

29 Dirigibles: Self-Propelled Gas Bags 115

The Hindenburg Disaster 118

30 Elevators: An Up and Down Business 119

The Elevator's Impact 122

31 Subways: Ticket to the Underworld 123

Subways in Wartime 126

Unearthing History 127

Subways in Popular Culture 127

32 Bicycles: Pedal Power 128

Which Bike for You? 131

Bicycle Racing 132

Multimodal Transportation 132

33 Motorcycles: Bicycles on Steroids 133

The Biker Image 136

34 Rickshaws: Human-Powered Vehicles 137

Rickshaw Pullers on Parade 140

35 Cruise Ships: Floating Cities 141

Educational and Theme Cruises 144

36 Airplanes: The Sky's the Limit 145

How High Did They Fly? 148

History of Flight Attendants 149

Airplanes at War 150

37 Snowmobiles: Crossing Winter Landscapes 151

Environmental Impacts of Snowmobile Use 154

38 Recreational Vehicles (RVs): Cruising on Land 155

39 Helicopters: Da Vinci's Dream 159

Proving da Vinci's Designs 161

Plucking a Man from a Crane 162

40 Pedicabs: A Cycle-Rickshaw by Any Other Name Would Ride as Sweet 163

Rio de Janeiro or Bust! 166

41 Skateboards: Have Board, Will Travel 167

Go Skateboarding Day 169

Moving for Fun 170

42 Hovercraft: Riding a Cushion of Air 171

43 Electric and Hybrid Automobiles: So Nineteenth Century 175

How Green Are Electric and Hybrid Vehicles? 178

Silence Isn't Always Golden 178

44 All-Terrain Vehicles: A Ticket to the Back Country 179

Environmental Impact of ATVs 182

45 Manned Spacecraft: Out of This World 183

Did the U.S. Really Land on the Moon? 187

Unmanned Exploration with Remotely Operated Vehicles 188

46 Jetpacks: Strap One On and Fly 189

The Flying Wing 191

Hydro-Jetpacks 192

47 Bullet Trains: High-Speed Rail 193

Mag-lev: Faster than a Speeding Bullet Train 196

48 Supersonic Airliners: Breaking the Sound Barrier 197

Mach 200

49 Space Shuttles: Into Space and Back Again 201

Commercial Space Flight 205

50 The Segway: Pedestrians on Wheels 207

What's in a Name? 210

Conclusion 211

Glossary 215

Sources and Additional Resources 219

Endnotes 244

Index 264

Author and Series Presenter Biographies 288

Editorial Reviews

09/01/2016
Gr 6 Up—An engaging history of travel with a focus on how and why advancements were made and their relationship to one another. In the introduction, Phillip Hoose clarifies that this volume is centered on travel and the movement of people, with attention to stories of reinvention (e.g., trains moving from steam to electric power, thus changing the design, function, and capability of trains). Each one of the 50 items contains full-color illustrations and photographs. In addition to the main text, informational sidebars are found throughout. The entries are arranged chronologically, beginning with shoes in the year 200,000 BCE and ending with the Segway in 2001. However, there are hints of what vehicles are to come in the future, with a discussion of commercial space flight. A few of the vehicles, such as elevators and jetpacks, may be surprising entries, but their inclusion makes this a comprehensive work. Appended are a detailed glossary, source notes, and suggestions for further research. VERDICT An immensely readable and thorough resource for school libraries and world history collections.—Kevin McGuire, Woodland Hills School District, PA

School Library Journal