The Erie Canal is a 363-mile waterway that connects the Great Lakes with
the Atlantic Ocean via the Hudson River
in upstate New York. The channel, which traverses New York state from Albany to Buffalo on Lake Erie, was considered an engineering marvel when it first opened in 1825.
What waterways did the Erie Canal connect?
- Erie Canal, which connects the Hudson River with Lake Erie, 338 miles to the west;
- Champlain Canal, which connects the tidal portion of the Hudson River with Lake Champlain, 63 miles to the north;
What important waterway was open with the Erie Canal?
The Erie Canal opened on October 26, 1825, providing overland water transportation between
the Hudson River
on the east and Lake Erie at the western end. Popularly known as “Clinton’s Folly,” the eight-year construction project was the vision of New York Governor DeWitt Clinton.
Which of the following are an impact of the Erie Canal?
The completion of the Erie Canal
spurred the first great westward movement of American settlers
, gave access to the rich land and resources west of the Appalachians and made New York the preeminent commercial city in the United States.
What was important about the Erie Canal?
Built between 1817 and 1825, the original Erie Canal traversed 363 miles from Albany to Buffalo. It was
the longest artificial waterway and the greatest public works project in North America
. The canal put New York on the map as the Empire State—the leader in population, industry, and economic strength.
Is Erie Canal still used?
Erie Canal Today
Some parts were rerouted to make way for more ship traffic in 1918.
Portions of the original canal are still operable
, though tourism is now the main source of boat traffic along the Erie Canal.
What was the nickname of the Erie Canal?
Clinton’s Ditch
– Nickname for the original Erie Canal, which opened in 1825.
How deep is the Erie Canal now?
| JUST THE FACTS | Canal dimensions, 1862 Enlarged Erie 7 ft deep x 70 ft wide; lock 110 ft long | Canal dimensions, 1918- present Erie Barge Canal 12-23 ft deep x 120 -200 ft wide; locks 310 ft long | Cost to build $7,143,789 | Return on Investment 10 years |
|---|
How did they dig the Erie Canal?
Instead, the thickly forested land was cleared and the 40-foot wide canal was dug and the locks were constructed by the
raw manpower of an estimated 50,000 laborers
, including a large contingent of recently arrived Irish immigrants.
How many Irish died building the Erie Canal?
While there are no official records of immigrant deaths,
somewhere between 8,000 and 30,000
are believed to have perished in the building of the New Basin Canal, many of whom are buried in unmarked graves in the levee and roadway fill beside the canal.
What are 4 effects impacts that the Erie Canal had on our country?
The Erie Canal was then proposed and created as an efficient transportation lane,
lowering the cost of shipping and increasing trade, spreading machinery and manufactured goods
, making the United States more economically independent and establishing some of the country’s most prominent cities.
What were two positive effects of the Erie Canal quizlet?
The Erie Canal
provided efficient water transportation that linked farms to cities
. What were the advantages of using railroads instead of canals to transport goods? Compared to canals, railroads cost less to build and could scale hills more easily, trains also moved faster and carried more weight than the ships.
What was the impact of the Erie Canal quizlet?
The canal proved it’s value from the
start becuase the route linked the Atlantic Ocean with the Great Lakes
, opening the western part of the state and the Midwest to settlement, creating new markets for goods and bringing unimagined prosperity to New York City.
How did the Erie Canal benefit farmers?
The Erie Canal helped to launch the consumer economy.
Farmers could grow wheat in western New York, sell it and have cash to buy furniture and clothing shipped up the canal that they otherwise would have made at home
,” Kelly says. “That was the first inklings of the consumer economy.”
Why was the Erie Canal so successful?
Why was the Erie Canal so successful?
It linked the economies of the Midwest and the Northeast
. The Erie Canal connected midwestern and northeastern economies, serving as an avenue for the eastward movement of agricultural products and the westward movement of manufactured goods.
What were two positive effects of the Erie Canal?
The Erie Canal had many positive effects.
It opened up trade in the Midwest
, as farmers now had a cheaper way to get their goods to markets. The canal put many people to work, most notably Irish immigrants. It also gave Albany and Buffalo an economic boost.
