How common was travelling before the invention of the steam engine?

Upvote:-2

If you mean common people it is probably right. The only transport, apart from walking, was horse or mule and boat, and these were not cheap.

Upvote:0

Even after the invention of the steam engine most common people never traveled. It depends on the country, of course. But in countries like Russia or Turkey or China, even in the early 20th century, most people were peasants, and they did not travel long distance. Mass travel developed in 20th century. Until the early 20th century, the most common way for a peasant "to see the world" was to serve in the army or navy.

Upvote:1

Traders, soldiers, officials. If we confine things to Europe, those are the only people who traveled a long distance.

Taking them in turn, travelling by sea took you the furthest, and it was traders who did this the most. Wars generally happened between neighbouring countries or within a country, so soldiers usually did not travel much, although they did occasionally have to go long distances. Officials might have to travel within a country to assess taxes and the like, or occasionally (rarely) on diplomatic missions to foreign countries.

So, everyone who was not one of these didn't travel much. You would need to find out the proportion of people who were not traders, soldiers, or officials. It will be most people.

Wandering day labourers, friars and thieves would have to move about a fair bit. They would generally stay within one area, but their life would involve a lot of walking.

Upvote:2

People, even common people, traveled when they needed to. Usually as the result of war, famine, or persecution. The "Great Migration" is only one fairly well documented such event.

The 'Great Migration' 1629–40 saw 80,000 people leave England, roughly 20,000 migrating to each of four destinations, Ireland, New England,[4] the West Indies and the Netherlands.

Colonization as a goal encourage people as far back as the Romans to pick up roots and settling new locations. Within U.S. history the Oregon trail and the general expansion westward into new territories seeking that better life and the lands of 'milk and honey'.

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