Even as airlines provide faster means of travel, ships and boats remain as important as ever in transporting passengers and cargo across the worlds bodies of water. While ship design has become increasingly sophisticated with time, everything including the luxury liners, warships, and sailboats of today owe much to the watercraft that facilitated travel, trade, and war among ancient cultures. This detailed volume examines the development of the different types of water vehicles and the design of related structures, including docks and quays.
Amply illustrated book traces evolution of the sailing ship over the course of 6,000 years — from vessels of ancient Egypt to full-rigged clipper ships of the 19th century. 20 halftones and 134 figures.
Richard Woodman's 'The History of the Ship' is re-worked and updated for the first time in an accessible paperback format. The author presents a comprehensive examination of the technical and cultural development of the ship, from the earliest dugout canoe to the nuclear submarine.
An anecdotal, highly personal course through America's nautical history features nearly 140 images of ships from the 18th through 20th centuries: quoddy boats, fishing schooners, clippers, packet ships, frigates, and other vessels.
Electric propulsion for boats was developed in the early 19th century and--despite the advent of the internal combustion engine--continued with the perfecting of the modern turbo-electric ship. Sustainable and hybrid technologies, pioneered in small inland watercraft toward the end of the 20th century, have in recent years been scaled up to create integrated electric drives for the largest ocean-going vessels. This comprehensive history traces the birth and rebirth of the electric boat from 1835 to the present, celebrating the Golden Age of electric launches, 1880-1910.
After an introduction to the topic of maritime archaeology and account of the way maritime archaeologists work, the author describes the building and use of rafts, boats and ships in north-west Europe up to about 1500. The evidence for early sea voyages and for navigation without instruments is also surveyed.
In this highly accessible history of ships and shipping on the Great Lakes, upper elementary readers are taken on a rip-roaring journey through the waterways of the upper Midwest. Great Ships on the Great Lakes explores the history of the region’s rivers, lakes, and inland seas—and the people and ships who navigated them. Read along as the first peoples paddle tributaries in birch bark canoes. Follow as European voyageurs pilot rivers and lakes to get beaver pelts back to the eastern market. Watch as settlers build towns and eventually cities on the shores of the Great Lakes. Listen to the stories of sailors, lighthouse keepers, and shipping agents whose livelihoods depended on the dangerous waters of Lake Michigan, Superior, Huron, Erie, and Ontario. Give an ear to their stories of unexpected tragedy and miraculous rescue, and heed their tales of risk and reward on the low seas. Great Ships also tells the story of sea battles and gunships, of the first vessels to travel beyond the Niagara, and of the treacherous storms and cold weather that caused thousands of ships to sink in the Great Lakes. Watch as underwater archaeologists solve the mysteries of Great Lakes shipwrecks today. And learn how the shift from sail to steam forever changed the history of shipping, as schooners made way for steamships and bulk freighters, and sailing became a recreation, not a hazardous way of life. Designed for the upper elementary classroom with emphasis on Michigan and Wisconsin, Great Ships on the Great Lakes includes a timeline of events, on-page vocabulary, and a list of resources and places to visit. Over 20 maps highlight the region’s maritime history. The accompanying Teacher’s Guide includes 18 classroom activities, arranged by chapter, including lessons on exploring shipwrecks and learning how glaciers moved across the landscape.
Ever since the earliest travelers took to the water on reed rafts or inflated goatskins, ships and boats have played a paramount role in the history of the Western world. The invention of the sail about 3500 BC resulted in ever faster and more efficient water transport, and the great civilizations of Egypt, Greece, and Rome depended on ships and seafarers for their prosperity. This entertaining book by the world's foremost authority on ancient seamanship traces the development of the boat from the most primitive craft to the powerful warships of the Greeks, the huge Roman merchant vessels, and the slender galleys of the Vikings. Professor Casson shows how the discoveries of marine archaeologists and recent experiments with full-size replicas of ancient boats have increased our knowledge of the way in which ships were built and used. Drawing upon written accounts and contemporary artistic depictions of naval battles, trading expeditions, and other voyages, he brings the world of seafaring in ancient times vividly to life.
