Transcript Erie Canal - Ms. Zizzo and Mr. Ardis` US History

Erie Canal
Aim: How did the Erie Canal and
national roads improve the
economy of the United States
Do Now
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In order to open the country west of the Appalachian Mountains to
settlers and to offer a cheap and safe way to carry produce to a
market, in 1808, Governor Dewitt Clinton proposed the
construction of a canal. However, it was not until July 4, 1817 that
Governor Clinton finally broke ground for the construction of the
canal. In those early days, it was often sarcastically referred to as
"Clinton's Big Ditch". When finally completed on October 26,
1825, it was the engineering marvel of its day. It included 18
aqueducts to carry the canal over ra vines and rivers, and 83 locks,
with a rise of 568 feet from the Hudson River to Lake Erie. It was 4
feet deep and 40 feet wide, and floated boats carrying 30 tons of
freight. A ten foot wide towpath was built along the bank of the
canal for horses, mules, and oxen led by a boy boat driver or
"hoggee".
How can the Erie Canal help open more trade routes for the United
States?
History of the Erie Canal
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On July 4, 1817, the
Erie Canal was
begun at Rome, NY.
363 miles long from
Albany to Buffalo.
40 feet wide and 4
feet deep.
Connecting the
Great Lakes with
the Atlantic Ocean.
Erie Canal
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Connected the Atlantic Coast to the Great
Lakes.
Horses or mules towed the canal boat
Grew New York City into a powerful
center of business.
Established a strong trading relationship
between the West and the Northeast.
"The Marriage of the Waters" by C.Y. Turner, 1905 -- A mural
decoration in the DeWitt Clinton High School, N.Y.C . depicting
Governor DeWitt Clinton pouring water from Lake Erie into the
ocean at New York in a ceremony celebrating the "Marriage of the
Waters" between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic in 1825.
Pair and Share
1. How does “marrying” these waterways improve the economy for
the United States?
National Road
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Cumberland Road
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Financed by federal government
Road reached Columbus, Ohio from
Cumberland Maryland.
Used tolls to make profit from these roads.