The Erie Canal opened the Midwest to settlement.
By providing a direct water route to the Midwest, the canal triggered large-scale emigration to the sparsely populated frontiers of western New York, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Illinois.
Why did New York City grow as a result of the Erie Canal?
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.
Why did the Erie Canal make New York bigger?
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.
Why was the Erie Canal significant?
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.
Why did workers widen the Erie Canal in 1862?
In order to keep pace with the growing demands of traffic, the Erie Canal was enlarged between 1836 and 1862. The “Enlarged Erie Canal” was 350.5 miles long, 7 feet deep and 70 feet wide, and could handle boats carrying 240 tons. The number of locks was reduced to 72.
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.
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.
Why is the Erie Canal so low?
Water levels drop on the canal after the flow of water is reduced . ... The Erie Canal is drained every year to allow repairs and maintenance over the winter.
What are three important number facts about the Erie Canal?
| JUST THE FACTS | Number of locks, 1825 83 | Number of locks, present day 57 | Elevation change, Albany to Buffalo 571 feet | Canal dimensions, 1825 Original Erie 4 ft deep x 40 ft wide; locks 90 ft long |
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How old is the Erie Canal?
Begun in 1817 and opened in its entirety 1825 , the Erie Canal is considered the engineering marvel of the 19th Century.
What did the Erie Canal do for America?
The Erie Canal ensured the status of New York City as America’s premiere seaport, commercial center, and gateway to the interior – eclipsing New Orleans, Philadelphia, Boston, and Baltimore. It helped New York become the “Empire State” – the leader in population, industry, and economic strength.
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.
Who opposed the Erie Canal and why?
Building such a long canal was a huge undertaking in the early 1800s. 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.
Why is the Erie Canal called Clinton’s Ditch?
On July 4, 1817, construction began in Rome, NY, on the Erie Canal. A mere four-feet-deep and forty-feet-wide, the waterway was nicknamed “Clinton’s Big Ditch” after Governor DeWitt Clinton, who pursued the goal of connecting Buffalo’s Lake Erie with the Hudson River without any support from the federal government .
Does the Erie Canal freeze?
Because it was so shallow, the Canal could freeze very quickly , trapping boats in ice. But the frozen canal also created many opportunities for recreation, such as ice skating at the widewaters or the aqueduct.
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.
