Technological Advances 4.02

Technological Advances 4.02

*Define technological advance

*Explain how technological advances made an impact

*Recognize the role pioneers played in United States history

*Identify important technological advances in United States history

Pioneer Technology

There were no stores when pioneers arrived out West. They had to bring most of these items with them. Some of the farming equipment, like plows, could take lots of space in the wagon. Pioneers would bring the metal pieces and put them together with a wooden frame once they arrived. Sometimes, they would borrow from their neighbors. Pioneers worked very hard to survive. 

Let's check out some of the items pioneers used. 

Multiple Choice

Why did pioneers have to bring most of their things with them when they moved to the frontier?

• Because they liked their belongings.

• Because there were no stores out West.

• Because they wanted to trade with others.

Multiple Choice

Why did pioneers take apart their farm equipment when moving out West?

• They liked how it looked pulled apart.

• It took up too much space in the wagon.

• It prevented children from hurting themselves.

Water Pump

Pioneers used a water pump to pump water up from the ground.

Iron

Pioneer women used heated irons to iron clothes.

Horse and wagon

Pioneer men used horses and wagons to work the fields. 

Ox and plow

Pioneer men used oxen and plows to work the fields.

Spinning Wheel

Pioneer women used a spinning wheel to make thread or yarn for clothing and blankets.

Scythe

Pioneer men used a scythe to cut grass or crops by hand.

Scythe

a tool with a long handle and a large, curved blade used for cutting grass or crops by hand

Poll

What pioneer tool or item you would like to try?

Important Technological Advances

Over time, there are technological advances in society. 

This means that people use science and engineering to invent new useful things or to make improvements on older things.

Steam Powered

Steam powered trains and steamboats were used to transport people and goods.

Made it easier and faster to travel.

Multiple Choice

What were steam powered trains and boats used for?

• Harvesting wheat on the farms

• Preparing the land

• Transporting goods and people

Multiple Choice

Before the use of steam powered transportation, how long did people have to wait to receive goods from far away?

• A few hours

• Five business days

• Months and years

Farming Equipment

The mechanical reaper was used for harvesting wheat.

The steel plow breaks up soil to prepare fields for planting. It replaced the cast iron plow.

The steel plow lasted longer.

Multiple Choice

What kind of plow replaced the cast iron plow?

• Clay

• Copper

• Steel

• Wooden

Multiple Choice

Which tool replaced the scythe?

• Mechanical reaper

• hose and wagon

• spinning machine

Communication

The telegraph used a series of taps and pauses over wires to send messages.

Made recent news more available.

Multiple Choice

How did the telegraph affect the spread of information in the world?

• Did not affect it

• Spread more quickly

• Made it slower

Telegram

Lesson 4.02 - page 4

Code Breaker Messages

Water

Ditches and canals were used to control drainage and for transportation paths.

Increased available farmland.

Multiple Choice

What were ditches and canals used for?

• Building cities

• Catching frogs and toads

• Drainage and transportation paths

Multiple Choice

How did canals help pioneers?

• They helped farmers harvest grain.

• They helped transport goods faster.

• They made communication faster.

Multiple Choice

Which tool helped farmers harvest more quickly and with fewer workers?

• telegraph

• machine reaper

• steam iron

Multiple Choice

What technological advance helped bring water to farmlands?

• steam boats

• rivers

• ditches and canals

• oceans

When pioneers moved out West, they brought certain tools with them to help with everyday life. Over time, technology changed. People found ways to improve tools and methods to make life a bit easier. The steamboat and steam powered train are examples of technological advances in the 1800s that changed life in the United States.