In 1839, a Scottish blacksmith invented the first rear-wheel-driven vehicle which set the world in motion and laid the foundation of modern transport. Kirkpatrick Macmillan, a blacksmith from Dumfriesshire, Scotland, is widely credited with developing a rear-wheel-driven pedal bicycle. His machine was different from the earlier velocipede, which required riders to push their feet against the ground. Macmillan used pedals, rods and rear-wheel cranks to move the bicycle. The machine was made mainly from wood and had iron-rimmed wheels. It was heavy and difficult to control, but it allowed the rider to travel without touching the ground. His work later became part of the history of the bicycle.
