Changes in Means of Transport Chapter Notes | Social Studies Class 3 ICSE PDF Download

Introduction

Means of transport are the ways we travel from one place to another. Long ago, people walked or used animals to travel. Then, they made new things like carts, cars, trains, ships, and planes to travel faster and easier. In this chapter, we will learn how transport changed over time, the different types like land, water, and air transport, and how these changes help us but also cause problems like pollution. We will also learn ways to solve these problems.

History of Transport

• Means of transport are things we use to go from one place to another.
• We use them to carry people and goods.
• Long ago, people walked to travel from one place to another.
• Later, people started using animals like horses, camels, and donkeys to travel.
• They rode on the backs of these animals.
• These animals were also used to carry goods.
• Then, the wheel was invented, and it made transport very easy.
• People started using wooden carts pulled by horses or bullocks to carry people and goods.
• After that, new vehicles like cycles, scooters, and cars were made because of wheels.
• In the past, carts, cycles, and rickshaws were pulled by people or animals.
• Later, fuels like petrol, diesel, steam, electricity, and CNG were used to run vehicles with engines.
• Engines made it easy and comfortable for people to travel by land, water, and air.

Land Transport

Land transport has two types:

1. Road Transport

• Road is the path where some vehicles move.
• Long ago, roads were muddy tracks made by clearing trees, bushes, and big stones.
• Now, we have strong roads made of concrete or tar.
• Vehicles like bullock carts, cycles, rickshaws, scooters, cars, buses, and trucks move on roads.
• These vehicles are called the means of road transport.

2. Rail Transport

• Rail transport uses vehicles that run on special tracks called rail tracks or train tracks.
• These tracks are long and made of iron or steel, placed side by side.
• Trains move on these tracks smoothly and with great speed.
• Trains are used to travel to faraway places.
• In big cities, metro trains are used to travel from one part of the city to another.
• In many countries, bullet trains and monorails are used to reach places faster.
• In India, railways and roads connect almost all villages and towns to big cities.

Fun Fact

​The world’s first railway system was built in Germany.

Water Transport

• Long ago, people lived near rivers and used logs to travel across them.
• Then, they learned to make rafts using logs and bamboos to travel on water.
• Later, they made canoes and boats to sail on water.
• With time, ships and boats were made with engines to carry goods and people.
• Ships that carry only goods are called cargo ships.
• Today, cruise ships and ocean liners take people around the world comfortably.
• Hovercrafts can travel over land, water, mud, ice, and other surfaces.
• Submarines can travel on water and underwater, mostly used by soldiers.
• Ships load and unload passengers and goods at special places near water called ports.
• Ships are kept in a safe place called a harbour.

Air Transport

• Air transport is the fastest way to travel.
• The first aeroplane was made by the Wright Brothers in the early 1900s.
• Now, aeroplanes can carry many passengers and goods to faraway places in a short time.
• Big cities in our country have international airports that connect us to many parts of the world.
• Helicopters are used in tough places like hills, mountains, and jungles.
• Helicopters help the army to transport soldiers and goods to places where other transport cannot go.
• Helicopters are also used to help during natural problems like floods, earthquakes, or landslides.
• Rockets are used by astronauts to go into space.
• Drones are the newest air transport and are used for many things.

Fun Fact 

To reduce pollution and save fuel, scientists are trying to invent vehicles that can run on the energy of the sun and electricity.

Impact of Changes in the Means of Transport

• Over time, transport changed from slow vehicles to fast ones.
• These changes made our life easier and more comfortable.
• The world seems smaller now because we can travel to faraway places quickly.
• People can travel by road, rail, water, or air in a very short time.
• But, modern transport also causes problems like air pollution and noise pollution.
• Vehicles like cars, buses, and trucks release smoke in the air, making it dirty. This dirty air is called air pollution.
• Too many vehicles and the use of horns create noise pollution.
• Air and noise pollution cause health problems like asthma, breathing problems, headaches, and deafness.

Ways to Reduce Problems Caused by Vehicles

• We need to lower air and noise pollution caused by vehicles.
• In many states, the government has made it a rule for all public transport to use CNG kits.
• This includes school buses and auto-rickshaws.
• We can also do these things to reduce air and noise pollution:
  • Use a cycle or battery-operated rickshaws for short distances because they are eco-friendly.
  • Walk instead of using a car to go to nearby places; walking keeps us healthy too.
  • Use car pools or public transport like buses, metro trains, or local trains for long distances in the city.
  • Avoid using horns as much as possible to reduce noise pollution.
  • Use CNG as fuel to reduce air pollution.

Points To Remember

• Means of transport are the things we use to travel from one place to another.
• In the old days, people walked or used animals to travel from one place to another.
• The invention of the wheel brought a big change in the way we travel.
• New inventions introduced vehicles with engines.
• Now people travel comfortably and quickly using land, water, and air transport.
• Modern means of transport have made our life easy, but they also cause air and noise pollution.
• These pollutions cause many health problems.
• We should try to adopt ways to reduce pollution caused by vehicles.

Glossary

• Invention: Something created by human beings.
• Track: Path.
• Passengers: People who travel.
• Cruise ships: Luxury ships having various facilities.
• Terrain: Any area or land.
• Aids: Any type of help.
• Calamities: Events that cause damage or destruction.
• Eco-friendly: Friendly to the environment, not harmful.