The Refrigerator

Before the fridge was invented not much could be done when you want to preserve or cool food. Many people put food and medicine in the snow and ice to attempt to cool it. Later on cellars were dug into the ground for cooling. These cellars were lined with wood and straw, which was packed with snow and ice.

The first known artificial attempt at a refrigerator came in 1748 at the University of Gaslow. The father of the Refrigerator was Oliver Evans. He invented the first vapor compressing fridge in 1805. Jacob Perkins modified Evans design in 1834, he built the worlds first fridge and filled the first legal patent for refrigeration using vapor-compression. In 1841 an American doctor by the name of John Gorrie invented the first mechanical fridge allowing for the making of ice and cooling of medicine for yellow fever patients. Later on in 1853, an American professor created a fridge that could produce a ton of ice per day.


The fridge was a major invention and without it today there would be a major problem. The fridge allowed for the cooling of food and medicine. It produced ice and allowed an owner to freeze foods to be consumed later.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refrigerator                  http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blrefrigerator.htm

Impact of the continental rail road

      May 10th, 1869 the word quickly spread around the United States that the first transcontinental rail road had just been finished. On its first day of work the train launched out of California with of thousands of Asian products and a load of tea from Japan. It was now available for people to travel across the country in just a week. Products created on one side of the country can be at the other side in just a short week. For people the nation was far to big for a casual trip across the country, but now it was possible for a quick trip for a week over to the other side of the country.

    Although not everyone loved the rail road as much. The Native Americans were not to thrilled when it was built. Some say the rail road sparked the was between the Native Americans and the U.S. The project forced Natives of their land and onto reservations.