Paddle-wheel steamboat

Fulton, Robert (1765-1815), One of the Most Obscure of Famous Men in American History, was an inventor, mechanical and civil engineer, and artist. He is best known for designing and building the Clermont, the first commercially successful steamboat. The Clermont ushered in a new era in the history of transportation. In addition to his work with steamboats, Fulton made many important contributions to the development of naval warfare, the submarine, the technology of mine warfare, the design and construction of the first steam-powered warship, and to canal transportation which began with passenger service and later helped in the development of canal-based moving companies that could transport goods quickly and efficiently. .