Fulton’s Steamboat
The Clermont
How did Robert Fulton and Robert Livingston use teamwork to achieve their goals?
In 1806, Fulton returned to America with an English steam engine to use in the steamboat he designed with his artistic skills. On August 17, 1807, his steamboat took its first trip on the Hudson River from New York City to Albany, New York. This was a risky test because the boiler could explode if the pressure got too high.
Fulton later described that first trip, saying he saw his friends waiting anxiously, thinking he would fail and be embarrassed. The steamboat moved a little, stopped, but then Fulton got it moving again! The steamboat, called the Clermont, traveled from New York to Albany in 32 hours, and the trip back took 30 hours. That was incredibly fast for those times!
The steamboat opened up a new industry and made transportation much easier. Goods could be moved more efficiently, and it led to more exploration and new settlements.
Robert Fulton took many different paths to find success. He started as a jewelry apprentice, became an artist, then an engineer who designed a submarine, and finally, he became the inventor of the steamboat. He didn’t let failures stop him from contributing to America’s future. You, too, can contribute to your community and your country in many ways. Don’t let anything stop you from being the best you can be!
What would have happened if Robert Fulton had given up on the steamboat?
