Steamboats

Steamboats are boats powered by steam engines that drive propulsion systems such as paddle wheels or screw propellers. They convert heat from burning fuel into mechanical work, enabling vessels to move upstream and on schedule without relying on wind.

Development began in the late 18th century, with demonstrations by inventors such as James Rumsey and John Fitch in North America. Robert Fulton, with financier Robert R. Livingston, built the Clermont and conducted the first commercially successful steamboat service on the Hudson River in 1807. The idea spread quickly, and river and coastal steamers became common on major waterways such as the Mississippi, Rhine, and Danube.

Technologies varied: early boats used side or stern paddle wheels, while larger ships adopted screw propellers and more efficient engines. Steamboats played a central role in economic expansion by conveying passengers and freight on inland waters and aiding settlement. Safety concerns, including boiler explosions and fires, and competition from railways and diesel vessels eventually reduced steamboat production and operation, though working and heritage steamboats remain on some rivers and in museums.