Researcher: Maggie
Writer: Maggie
Editor: Varsha
Inventions have simplified our world and have led to social advancements. By creating something that did not exist before, individuals can cause change. Which creation do you think is the most important? Well, believe it or not, the wheel is arguably one of the most impactful inventions of today. When you think of a wheel, you most commonly think of it as a means for transportation, but this was not how it started. There is no natural wheel in nature, making the wheel a human invention. The article, History of THE WHEEL, states, “Although, to develop a wheel capable of turning around an axle requires a subtle knowledge of physics and the concepts of momentum, friction, and balance. Hence the fact that, while the wheel is – arguably – the most useful invention of all time (perhaps challenged by fire), it was not invented until relatively late in human history.” It is one of the most significant scientific discoveries as it gives rise to transportation, machinery, and much more.
Origin-
Before the axel, the wheels were like rolling doughnuts. Both parts complement each other. The origin of the wheel & axle technology is unclear, but records point to Eurasia and the Middle East. Historians have estimated that it dates backs to sometime around 3500 BCE. The Bronze Age is considered the start of wheel and axle technology. The word ‘wheel’ originates from the Tripolye people of modern-day Ukraine. Evidence suggests that the earliest use of the wheel came from Mesopotamian potters, about 300 years before chariots. The wheel was not limited to a specific action, so many countries used it for need-based systems. In the Middle East, it was for irrigation, milling, and pottery. In Mexico, the wheels were in and used as ceramic toys.
Impact-
The wheel alone had very minimal functions, so the mastery was the application of the axle. The purpose of wheel and axle technology is the way it changed society and modernized transportation systems. The first use of the wheel was pottery, where the wheel would rotate the clay properly. Its use in transportation is far more interesting because it meant carrying large items with little effort and transporting them from short to long distances. The development of the wheelbarrow from the Greeks allowed moving equipment such as stone and tools. Transporting goods became a reliable method when people realized that large animals could be harnessed to a set of wheels. This discovery later led to the creation of carts, chariots, wagons, etc. Wheels began to decrease in their transportation purposes during the Dark Ages when trade was dwindling. During this time, historians believe wheels were predominantly for irrigation, pottery, and mills in Western Europe/Middle East. However, in the Age of Enlightenment, wheels were used to develop the steam engine, another feat in transportation. Fixed-axle technology allowed the wheels to move in unison, helping trains move. The development of the steam engine led to fuel-based engines, which would lead to the car. Cars made wheels a global commodity as roughly four billion wheels are used globally for them alone. Overall, the wheel increased work efficiency and transportation.
The wheel has served many purposes besides transportation, but they were good and bad. For example, the Breaking Wheel was a form of punishment used until the 19th century where the limbs of criminals were tied and smashed. The Iron-Rimmed Wheel was first used on the wheels of chariots. An Overbalanced Wheel is a type of perpetual-motion device. There’s the Ljubljana Marshes Wheel which is made out of wood. Water Wheels are a device that uses the energy from water and turns it into power (Ex: Hollow Water Wheels). The Wire-spoked Wheels for bicycles. Spinning Wheels are a device used to spin yarn/thread. Lastly, the Pleasure Wheels/Ferris wheel, which is found at amusement parks. This invention has changed the way society functions, therefore the wheel truly is one of the best innovations. After all, it did roll us into modernization.
Sources-
- Alexander, Donovan. “The History and Evolution of the Wheel.” Interesting Engineering, Interesting Engineering, 2 Apr. 2021, interestingengineering.com/the-history-and-evolution-of-the-wheel.
- “History of the Wheel – The Invention That Created the Modern World.” BuyAutoInsurance.com, 22 Feb. 2021, http://www.buyautoinsurance.com/history-of-the-wheel/.
Gambino, Megan. “A Salute to the Wheel.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 17 June 2009, http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/a-salute-to-the-wheel-31805121/.
Three Point Revelation 