The Erie Canal

ERIE CANAL

What is a Canal?
A canal is an artificial
waterway for navigation.

From the Library of

Congress, American
Memory

Why Build Canals?

Water is one of the cheapest ways
to transport goods.

Why Build Canals?

Transport Options, Early 1800s

Road

A wagon could
carry 1 ton for 12
miles in one day.

Railroad

A train could carry Cost 5 cents to

500 tons for 200
carry 1 ton one
miles in one day.
mile.

Canal

A canal boat could Cost 5 cents to

carry 100 tons for carry 1 ton one
30 miles in one
mile.
day.

Cost 20 cents to
carry 1 ton one
mile.

From Martland, Carl D. Example of the Ability of Civil Engineering Projects to Shape Cities and
Channel Development:Roads, Canals, and Railroads in the Early 19th Century MIT, Spring 2005
http://ocw.mit.edu/NR/rdonlyres/Civil-and-Environmental-Engineering/1-011Spring-2005/5B684A1B-4A5A-4419-AB9C-6347D6CD1AD4/0/p_eval04_l2_19cn.pdf

Why Build Canals?

Water is one of the cheapest ways
to transport goods.
BUT - you need the waterway!
High volume of goods so long as speed is
not a great factor
Boats were pulled by horses.
Food can be delivered to cities
Cities can become trade centers

Section &
I: Background
History & Background
History

History & Background

Erie Canal from Albany to Buffalo, 1817-1825

First proposed in 1724; discussed widely in late
1700s and early 1800s
Thomas Jefferson: "A splendid project - for the
20th century.

Why did they need a canal?

ERIE CANAL
- Dewitt
Clinton
connects
New York
City to
Lake Erie

History & Background

Erie Canal, 1817-1825

Easiest way to cross Appalachian

Mountains

Erie Canal
Albany
Buffalo

Hudson River

History & Background

Erie Canal

363 miles from Albany to Buffalo (cost

$8 million to build)
Click below to see map.

Click to see map

History & Background

The Erie Canal was hand-dug to connect
the Hudson River with the Niagara River.
The 363-mile canal had to overcome the 571-foot
difference in elevation between the rivers.

Problem: How could you make the

canal go uphill?

ERIE CANAL
-Locks separated compartments
raise (lower) water levels

History & Background

You used locks to allow boats to overcome the
change in elevation..

ERIE CANAL

Mules pulled barges astonishingly fast since steamboats were too big
and would damage the earthen embankments with their engines. 2
horses could pull up to 24 miles in a day, much faster than a wagon.
Later, in the 1840s the canals were reinforced to handle tugboats with
bigger shipments.

ERIE CANAL

History & Background

The opening of the last lock on the canal was
celebrated on October 26, 1825 with a grand
procession.

From the Library of

Congress, American
Memory

History & Background

With growing competition from railroads and
highways, and the opening of the St. Lawrence
Seaway in 1959, commercial traffic on the Canal
System declined dramatically in the latter part of the
20th century.

ERIE CANAL

Importance!!!!

1)Improved
Trade
- Goods move
faster (water
vs. roads) =
cheaper
- Connects ports
- Carry more
goods

It reduced the cost of moving a ton of

flour from Buffalo to New York from $120
to $6.

ERIE CANAL

2) Creates new big

cities in new places!

-Cities like Schenectady and Syracuse grow along new trade routes

ERIE CANAL
3) Unites the Country!! (West to East)
- People move faster!
- News moves faster !

Exploring the
West

Gap a low place between

mountains
Pioneer an early settler of
an area

Daniel Boone
Best known PIONEER
to cross Appalachian
Hired to widen the gap
Built The Wilderness
Road
Becomes main route to
WEST
1792 KY 15th state
1st state west of
Appalachians

PROBLEM?
Appalachians
Large barrier that prevented easy
westward movement

Why was Wilderness Road

important?
It helped pioneers cross the
Appalachian mountains opening
up the West.

Many Americans searched

for a _____ to pass through
Appalachian Mountains.
GAP

What was the first state

West of the Appalachians?
Kentucky

Tennessee (TN)
1796 16th state
Sevier elected
governor
Name comes from
TANSAI =
Cherokee Village
Admitted to Union

Ohio
1803 17th state
Many settlers
move in along the
Ohio River area
45,000 people
live there

Cause & Effect

Because more
people moved
west. . .

The effect is
many new states
are formed.