First, the Erie became a conduit for not only freight and passengers but also disease.
Smallpox and cholera
frequently “rode the canal,” affecting not only New York but also the Great Lakes states as well.
What were the consequences of the Erie Canal?
The Erie Canal would also
lead to increased pollution in the Great Lakes region
. By tying the lakes to the Atlantic, many companies after the Civil War sought to build their factories in the Great Lakes region. Manufacturing pollution would ultimately kill a great deal of the wildlife in and around the Great Lakes.
What did the Erie Canal cause?
The Erie Canal provided a direct water route from New York City to the Midwest, triggering
large-scale commercial and agricultural development—as well as immigration
—to the sparsely populated frontiers of western New York, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and points farther west.
What are 3 significant effects from the building of the Erie Canal?
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.
Is the Erie Canal dirty?
Their response: the canal in our area
is labeled as being clean
, having only what the DEC calls “minor impacts.” That’s mainly due to nutrients or runoff from farms, nothing that could cause any health issues. A department spokesperson says boating, paddleboarding, and fishing is okay but swimming is not encouraged.
Was the Erie Canal a failure?
Good thing for them that they failed. “The Erie
Canal
really made New York City,” Kelly says. … The city’s population quadrupled between 1820 and 1850, and the financing of the canal’s construction also allowed New York to surpass Philadelphia as the country’s preeminent banking center.
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 |
|---|
Does Erie Canal still exist?
Nearly 200 years old and still going strong. New York’s
canal system has been in continuous operation since 1825
, longer than any other constructed transportation system on the North American continent. Over the years, it has been enlarged three times to accommodate larger boats and more traffic.
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 was one change as a result 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.
When did they stop using the Erie Canal?
| Erie Canal | Date of first use May 17, 1821 | Date completed October 26, 1825 | Date restored September 3, 1999 | Geography |
|---|
What was the nickname of the Erie Canal?
Clinton’s Ditch
– Nickname for the original Erie Canal, which opened in 1825.
Is it safe to swim in the canal?
Many canals are not suitable for swimming due to water quality issues
and generally swimming is not formally permitted. Note that many larger navigable rivers may look like canals in places, but are managed rivers with weirs, locks and parallel ‘cuts’ to shortcut meaders, called river ‘navigations’.
What’s the speed limit on the Erie Canal?
Speed Limits
The eastern half of the Erie Canal from Waterford, NY to Three Rivers Junction, the maximum speeds run between 5 mph (4.7 knots) and 45 mph (39.1 knots). On the western half, the maximum speeds run from
5 mph (4.7 knots) to 30 mph (26 knots)
.
Why was the Erie Canal most likely built?
Why was the Erie Canal MOST LIKELY built? The Erie Canal is located in New York State, and connects the Hudson River to Lake Erie. It was
built to help people travel over the Allegheny Mountains
. Transporting goods, such as grains, by river barge over the canal was less expensive than transporting it over land.
Why was the Erie Canal so controversial?
While some people thought the canal was a good idea, other people were against it. They
thought it would cost too much money to build and wouldn’t be worth it
. For many years, DeWitt Clinton, the mayor of New York, fought to get the canal built.
