How Railroads Reshaped Time, Space, and Society

CrashCourse

In this episode of Crash Course World History, John Green explores the Industrial Revolution through the specific lens of the railroad. Rather than focusing solely on the mechanics of steam engines, the video delves into the profound sociological and psychological shifts caused by rail travel, drawing heavily from Wolfgang Schivelbusch's book 'The Railway Journey'. It examines how railroads fundamentally altered human perceptions of time, space, and nature, introducing concepts like standard time zones and the 'annihilation of time and space.' The video investigates the cultural anxiety that accompanied this technological leap. It discusses how high-speed travel changed the way people looked at landscapes—turning detailed nature into a blur—and how it influenced social behaviors, such as reading on public transport to avoid conversation. The narrative also covers the medical history of 'railway spine,' a precursor to the diagnosis of traumatic neurosis, illustrating how new technologies often bring new fears and psychological categories. Ideally suited for high school history and sociology students, this video serves as a powerful tool for connecting past technological revolutions to current ones. By comparing the disruption of the railroad to the disruption of the internet and smartphones, John Green helps students understand that the anxiety surrounding rapid technological change is a recurring historical theme. It challenges the notion that all change equals progress, encouraging critical thinking about innovation.