erica. Around the time of the building of canals, the steamboat was invented. In 1807, Robert Fulton and Robert R. Livingston created the Clermont on the Hudson River. Steamboats changed transportation drastically. They could travel faster, carry more cargo, and meet schedules on time. A ferry service was created to link New York and New Jersey. Steamboats became essential along the Mississippi-Ohio River system. Steamboats were also a step up in the Social class because they had places called saloons. Saloons were created for wealthy families. They were lavish cabins were people could go to relax during their trip. Like canals, Steamboats also had a downside. There were cases where steamboats exploded and killed many people. Also, the amount of fuel for steamboats was very limited. Steamboats made transportation and shipping much easier on American society (Enduring Vision 247).Along with canals and steamboats, railroads made their way into society in 1840. Railroads were by far the most influential change in society during that time. Railroads cut shipping and traveling prices in half, not to mention the time they saved people. Cities like Baltimore and Boston benefited especially from railroads because of their lack of waterways. Now all cities could be internally connected make use out of each other. Railroads were relatively cheap to build and touched more cities. When railroads were first created, they carried more passengers than cargo. Finally, in 1849, freight revenue surpassed passengers and the railroads were now taken advantage of (Enduring Vision 248). Like the other transportation improvements, railroads also had a slight disadvantage. They often called for many repairs, which was not a good factor. Overall, the creation of railroads was a huge improvement for the society in America (Enduring vision 248). On the other hand, many changes also took place in the industry. The industrial revolution had huge impacts on class an...
