Transportation

Transportation
Transportation enables motion, which is a characteristic of all animals, including human. Through transport, we move from one region to the other. From time immemorial, people are having the characteristics of movement through transportation. In different times of history, humans have invented various forms of transportation. However, it is distinguished that land and water are the most used water transport modes since the time of ancient Greece. This paper covers transportation evolution from the period of ancient Greek of 300 BC to the Renaissance period.
Greek
Greek was a super power colonizing most of the region in the Middle East, European region, and North America. The Greece nation invented a better means of locomotion to get control of the vast area. First was the use of land transport systems. Apart from walking, in the Greece time, people used animals for motion. In the Indian region and North Africa, there was a common trend of using elephants and horses for movement (Woods and Mary 40). However, the horses were preferred as the reliable mode of transportation. However, land as a mode of transport had many difficulties in the Greece time. The roads were, however, rugged, not well developed and so locomotion was often slow and impossible in bad weather conditions.
Importance of using horses for transport
First, the animals could survive a vast climatic condition. In the hot regions, the horses did better and also the cold region. Secondly, the horses were often more human-friendly.

Horses are easier to relate with and, therefore, better to domesticate. They are even faster, as compared to the elephants as they can sprint compared to other animals. Horses have a higher IQ as compared toothier animals, they are good at remembering and making quick decisions, and this ability was not only used in the transport sector but also in the military front. It mapped enemies quickly to evade or engage (Gagarin 110).
Water transport
Water transport in the ancient Greek was not well advanced. However, there were ships used by the Greece for locomotion, mostly for military purpose. The vessels were double powered, with a single sail and rowing.
Roman
The Romans invested in the land transport to enable them to speed the growth of Roman Empire. Horses were used for individual carriers and alternatively to steer the chariots used both for commercial and military operations. The roads were constructed in the Roman colonies to facilitate easy travel of soldiers during the times of war.
Roman roads
The Romans had a road system more than 400 000 kilometers. It included an 80 000 kilometers of paved roads. In the law of construction, the Roman roads followed the regulation of having a width of 8 ft on the straight regions and 16 ft in the curved areas. The cart helped to enhance turning for the chariots and the carriers at a higher speed. The Roman roads were made of stone tablets spread and cemented together to provide a hard surface that could not sink due to overuse in the rainy periods (Gagarin 113).
Water transport
Water transport as a mode of transport in the Roman time was not well developed. The Oared ships were used to carry the military over the Mediterranean Sea and the agricultural producers from different colonies.
Oared ships
These ships invented in the 8th century were utilized in the middle age period as a form of transportation during trade and warfare. The main region of application or usage was in the Mediterranean Sea that harbors North Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. However, the unusual wind conditions in the Mediterranean made it a problem in navigating (Gagarin 112).
Middle age
The middle age time ranges from the end of classical antiquity in the fifth century to the fall of Constantinople in 1453 AD.
Land transport
Just as in the presiding years, land was highly applicable in the middle age. However, due to the fall of Rome, the bridges, and the roads got damaged due to lack of proper maintenance and the regular rains. The use of horses still dominated the region as a faster mode of transportation. Horses were convenient to use as they were readily available for use. Improvements such as carrier box were built for the elites to shelter against the sun and the rains.
Water transport
Water as a mode of transport was the most dominant in the middle age. Some types of water vessels in this period are discussed below.
Caravel ships
The caravels are the invention of the Portuguese in the middle age. They were used mostly to bust the voyage. In its design, the ships were either only lateen rigged or square and lateen-rigged. The lateen sails had the role of boosting the speed of the ship and enabling them to sail to the winds. An example of such ship is Nina and Pinta all of Christopher Columbus.
Carrack ships
Carrack ships were invented to bust the locomotion in the fifteen century. These ships were larger than the caravels and faster. They used four mats and highly depended on wind power for movement. A Santa Maria of Christopher Columbus is a famous carrack ship. Being larger, they could be stable even in unstable waters (Bork and Andrea 9). Another advantage is that they could store more food supplies including trade goods. Therefore, they could go long distances.
Renaissance
Renaissance is the period between the 14th century and the 17th century. It is the bridge between the middle age and the modern time. There were many discoveries during the period in the sea transport that lead to the discovery of America.
Land transport
Land transportation in the renaissance age took advantage of the developing roads. In this time, the road pavements were built with rocks to distinguish the paths from bare ground. Therefore, the speeds of horse transport were high. Fewer numbers of horses due to the smoothness of the roads would be used. Still, camels were used in the Saharan region and the Middle East. They were preferred to the horses because they could take many days without water, had wider feet and thus could not sink in the sand.
Water transport
Water transport has the first invention in the renaissance age, the galleons. The galleon is recorded as a critical invention of the Portuguese although, it was highly implemented by the Spanish. Some characteristics of the galleons are that they were large. The ships were made with more than one deck to carry many goods. However, sailing was difficult because navigation route was determined by wind direction on the ocean.
Modern transport
Today, transportation is far much advanced and not limited to water and land due to the advancement of aviation. Air travel today connects all regions in the world a fast and convenient manner. It is one booster of globalization. A journey across the Atlantic that could take months in the middle and Renaissance age takes hours. Water as a mode of transportation is as well super advanced. Firstly, wind direction and speed is no longer used to power locomotives. There are supercargo carriers in the sea powered by petroleum. Similarly, the movement in the sea is not limited to surface transport. Presently, submarines move deep in the sea during military operations.
Advancements in land transport have seen the introduction of fast and convenient vehicles. Since the implementation of macadam roads in the 18th century, road transport is less affected by the rains. Bridges are built bigger and stronger to accommodate the modern automobiles. Similarly, trains powered by petroleum and currently electricity have been adopted. They have proven to be a cheaper mode of land transport.
Works cited
Bork, Robert and Andrea Kann. The Art, Science, and Technology of Medieval Travel. Aldershot, England: Ashgate Pub, 2008. Print.
Gagarin, Michael. The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece and Rome. Oxford [u.a.: Oxford Univ. Press, 2010. Print.
Woods, Michael and Mary B. Woods. Ancient Transportation Technology: From Oars to Elephants. Minneapolis, MN: Twenty-First Century Books, 2011. Print.