Early civilizations did fine without the wheel and axle, or the rod that goes through a wheel.
The Egyptians had no wheels but still built the pyramids. The Aztecs created complex cities with many buildings, roads, and temples. And they did it all without wheels.
But we’ve come a long way since then, and wheels helped get us here. Wheels cut down on friction. In this case, friction is the resistance between what you’re trying to move and the surface you’re pulling against. Imagine trying to pull a child in a red wagon that has no wheels. It would be hard, maybe even impossible. That’s because there would be so much friction between the sidewalk and the wagon. But put wheels and axles on the wagon, and you can pull it easily.
