The wheel, a simple but revolutionary device, was a key part of the development of human society. The wheel has been around for a very long time. Its development shows how clever and resourceful early people were.
The first wheels weren't used for moving things as most people think. They were used to make pottery. Around 3500 BC, potters in Mesopotamia found that a spinning disc made it easier and faster to shape clay. The first wheels were flat and attached to a straight shaft. The potter could turn the wheel with their hands while forming the clay object.
By 3200 BC, about 300 years after the first pottery, people were using them to get around. In the same part of Mesopotamia, wheels were added to carts to help move things. This huge step forward in human technology was the start of wheeled transportation, which had a big effect on trade, farming, and how well societies worked overall.
The wheel wasn't invented all at once. It was developed over time by different cultures, each finding its use in their own way. In the Americas in the past, the Olmecs made toys with wheels around 1500 BC. These wheels were not commonly used for movement, though.
The axle was one of the most important developments that led to the general use of wheels. The wheel and axle device, which had an axle (a rod) going through the middle of a wheel, made it more stable and let you control how it turned. This new idea was very important for the progress of wheeled cars.
As societies grew and mingled with each other, word of the wheel's usefulness spread. In ancient Egypt and Rome, the wheel was an important part of chariots that helped with transportation and military victory. Over time, the idea of the wheel changed even more, leading to new inventions like gears and pulleys, which are still used today in many types of machinery.
Therefore, the creation of the wheel was a major turning point in the past of mankind. The wheel started as a simple tool for potters in Mesopotamia. It quickly became an important part of transportation and machinery, changing the course of history and leaving a lasting mark on our daily lives.