A World on the Move: What Changed in the 1900s?

The 1900s usually means the years from 1900 to 1909.

People also sometimes use the word for the whole twentieth century.

At the start of this decade, many people travelled by horse and carriage.

Trains made it easier to travel between towns and cities.

Cars were becoming more common, although they were still expensive.

In cities, electric trams carried people to work and the shops.

Many homes did not have electricity or running water.

Families often cooked with coal or wood.

New inventions began to change daily life.

The first powered aeroplane flight took place in 1903.

Some people could listen to music on early gramophones.

News travelled by newspaper, letter and telegraph.

Most people wore formal clothes when they went out.

Children often had fewer years at school than children do today.

The decade also saw big changes in science, industry and society.

Looking back, the 1900s were a time when old ways met new ideas.