History

by Mike

The History of Machines:

The invention of the wheel began 3000 B.C. The wheel is not a machine, but it helped other machines to be made, such as the wagon. The wagon's power was the oxen but with the wheel and the axle it became easier. Without the wheel it would take dozens of days to get to your friend's house.

Well, back to the history of machines like the wagon. The bike takes you to a lot of places. The first bike was invented in 1800 A.D. It was called the hobby horse. These did not have any pedals.

In 1850 (50 years later) the velocipede came out. The velocipede was the first bike with pedals. One of the strangest bicycles in history was the Penny Farthing, built around 1885. This machine had one very small wheel in the back and a much larger one in front that was 5 feet in diameter.

Next, the safety cycle was invented in 1885. It had major improvements such as air-filled tires and gears with a chain attached. Our bicycles today are not that different from the safety cycle. These new bikes are made out of lighter metals and are easier to ride.

The Archimede's Screw was powered by man and used as a water pump. Some earlier machines were invented by Leonardo DaVinci. Leonardo lived from 1452-1519.A very advanced printing press was invented by Leonardo but he did not make it. Johannes Gutenberg actually invented the printing press around 1436 and even though it wasn't easy to use, this type of press was used until the 1800's. To sum it all up the history of machines is very fascinating.

Back to Home Page