Incorporate the history of shipping and ports into your classroom and teach students about economics. The maritime industry is one of the main drivers of globalization and trade, with 90 percent of all consumer goods having spent a portion of their journey on board a ship. These cargo vessels can move goods around the world safely, more efficiently, and with a lower environmental impact than other modes of transportation.

The move from sail to steam power enabled ships to move faster. Trade and immigration became quicker and easier, cutting the journey from a few months by sailing vessel to a few weeks by steamship. Teaching about economics and the move from sail to steam power demonstrates how technological advancements can impact trade. You can ask students questions about supply and demand.

Read about the importance of ships in trade here.

You can teach younger students (Grades 2-5) about the economics of transportation using this video:

You can view this resource from PBS Learning Media on Great Lakes Shipping and learn about how coal, cement, steel, salt and lumber all move through the Port of Illinois. Shipping these natural resources creates enough volume to support over 6,000 jobs and some $500 million in direct business revenue.

Additional Resources

Click here to download the pdf of Houston History Magazine issue on the Port of Houston, Dredged to Excellence: 100 Years of the Houston Ship Channel.

Luigi Pascali, “The Winds of Change: Maritime Technology, Trade, and Economic Development,” (University of Warwick, 2014).

The Smithsonian Museum of American History’s online exhibit, Enterprise on the Water, 1800-1850, Fishing for a Living, 1840-1920, and Modern Maritime America, 1950-present.