It has experienced four eras: the raft era, the sailing ship era, the steam engine ship era and the diesel engine ship era.

1. The Age of Boats and Rafts → Canoes → Rafts → Plank Boats → Oars, Poles and Oars → The Age of Sailing → Ancient Sailing Ships of the Mediterranean → Northern and Western European Sailing Ships → Clipper Sailboats → Chinese Sailing Ships → Steam Engine Ships Era → Early steam engine ships → "Great Eastern" steam engine ship → The perfection of steam engine ships → The advent of steam turbine ships and diesel engine ships → The emergence of oil tankers and bulk carriers → The rise of large ocean passenger ships → The era of diesel engine ships

< p>2. Large-scale ships → ship specialization → high-speed ships → ship automation → ship internal combustion engines

Introduction to some ships:

1. The era of rafts

< p>Humans have used rafts as a tool for transportation, hunting and fishing, at least since the Stone Age. China's ancient wooden oars unearthed in Zhejiang in 1956 were identified as relics from the Neolithic Age four thousand years ago. Explain that the history of boat rafts can be traced back to prehistoric times.

2. The Age of Sailing Ships

According to records, sailing ships existed in ancient Egypt as early as 4,000 BC. The history of China's use of sailing boats can also be traced back to before AD. From the 15th century to the mid-19th century, it was the heyday of sailing ship development. At the beginning of the 15th century, the Chinese navigator Zheng He sailed to East Africa, and at the end of the 15th century, C. Columbus discovered the New World. Their fleets were all composed of sailing ships.

In the history of the development of sailing ships, the Mediterranean coastal areas, Northern and Western Europe and China have all made significant contributions. The American clipper sailboat in the mid-19th century was the last climax in the history of sailing. Sailing boats from different regions have their own characteristics in terms of structure, form and sail gear.

3. The Age of Steam Engine Ships

After the invention of the steam engine in the 18th century, many people tried to use steam engines on ships. In 1807, American R. Fulton used a steam engine to drive paddle wheels mounted on both sides of the ship "Clermont" for the first time and successfully sailed on the Hudson River. From then on, mechanical force began to replace natural force, and the development of ships entered a new stage.

4. The era of diesel engine ships

After the advent of diesel engine ships, they developed rapidly and gradually replaced steam engine ships. After the end of World War II, the rapid economic recovery and development of industrialized countries, the unprecedented prosperity of international trade, and the massive development of oil in the Middle East and other places have prompted the rapid development of transportation ships.

Baidu Encyclopedia - Ships