Final answer:
The historical order of transportation methods from oldest to newest is: Horses, Canals, Steamships, Railways, and then Automobiles. Horses have been used since ancient times, then canals had a significant boom in construction in the late 18th century. Steamships were revolutionized by the steam engine in the 19th century, railways expanded rapidly after the 1830s, and automobiles became common in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Step-by-step explanation:
To place the various modes of transportation in historical order, starting with the oldest form of travel to the newest, we can observe the development of transport through different eras:
- Horses: As an ancient and primal mode of transportation, horses have been used for millennia.
- Canals: A significant boom in canal building occurred in the latter part of the 18th century and continued into the 19th century, with notable examples including the Erie Canal in the U.S., linking the Great Lakes to the Eastern Seaboard.
- Steamships: With the advent of the steam engine, steamships revolutionized seafaring travel, especially when they became capable of efficient upstream navigation in the 19th century.
- Railways: Early experimental railroads appeared in the 1820s, and their expansion gathered pace, particularly after the 1830s with major developments like the passenger railroad between Manchester and Liverpool.
- Automobiles: While paved roads predate automobiles, it was not until the late 19th and early 20th centuries that automobiles became common as a mode of personal transportation.
Throughout history, each of these advancements in transportation infrastructure played critical roles in societal development and were integral to the transportation revolution that facilitated both the movement of people and goods across various distances.