The History of the Wheel

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Abraham Maslow created a “hierarchy of needs”. This suggests that people are motivated to fulfill basic needs before moving on to other needs. One of the first “needs” that were created was the wheel. The wheels definition according to dictionary.com is a circular frame or disk arranged to revolve on an axis, as on or in vehicles or machinery. The wheel didn’t just start right up to be that type of wheel. People first made simpler models to satisfy their want/need. The wheel was invented to carry heavy object with much less friction/created a swifter movement of transporting heavy objects. Thus the first ever model of the wheel was a simple cut down tree placed underneath a heavy object. For instance, the pyramids were believed to transport the huge blocks by placing tree trunks underneath the large block of stone. Alvin Toffler divided human history into three waves. The wheel is part of history thus it has three waves. Needs for the wheel were influenced by the first, second, and third wave. For example, the first wave of the wheel was carts, spoked wheel, and wooden gears. The wheel in the first wave was the idea of creating it and using it for different things. For example, the spoked wheel improved structural stability and considerably reduced weight. The second wave included, bicycle, trains, and tractor. The second wave had inventions of the wheel that were upgraded versions of the first versions of the wheel. For example, the train’s wheel has an indent in the middle of it that allows the train to stay on the track without any control of the vehicle. The third wave is inventions of the wheel from 1950-present. It includes Tires, Freight trains, assembly lines, and trucks. The third wave’s purpose was to transition from a second wave society to a third wave society, the idea of improving the wheel from the second wave, to the third, for example the tire.
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