a) Cable cars

Cable cars, first appearing in San Francisco during the Gilded Age, became an iconic symbol of the city. Introduced in the 1870s, these cable cars were a unique transportation innovation, designed to navigate the city’s steep hills. They quickly became not just a practical mode of transport but also a symbol of San Francisco’s technological and urban development. The cable car system reflects the era’s spirit of innovation and the rapid urban growth characteristic of the Gilded Age in America.