Chapter 5: The Expanding Nation "Erie Canal"

Introduction In this chapter you learned that the success of the Erie Canal spurred the construction of canals throughout the nation during the early 1800s. Connecting the Hudson River in the East with the Great Lakes in the West, the Erie Canal linked distant frontier communities to the trade centers of the East. Canal boats towed by mules traveled the length of the state of New York along the four-foot-deep man-made waterway. Fostered in their wake were economic prosperity and western expansion. Go to this Web site to learn more about the Erie Canal's impact on the development of the United States. Destination Title: New York State Canal Culture Note: Clicking on the link above will launch a new browser window. Need help using your browser for this activity? Click here for tips. Directions Start at the New York State Canal Culture Web site. Click on the "Canal History" topic. Read through the information on this page. Continue your research by clicking on the "an account of the history of the Erie Canal" link that appears at the bottom of the page. Use the "Maps" link at the top of the page to view a map of the Erie Canal. Browse through the site, taking notes as you go. After you have read through the information, answer the following questions. 1. Why was construction of the Erie Canal a great challenge? 2. How was the economy of New York impacted? 3. How did the canal foster western expansion? 4. What frontier resources became more readily available to the eastern seaboard? 5. Imagine that you are a shipping merchant in the 1830s and your business is along the newly constructed Erie Canal. On a separate sheet of paper, design a newspaper advertisement that offers your shipping services. Be sure to identify what it is that you transport, what benefits canal transport offers the customer, what towns you serve, and why customers should choose your service.