CANALS
Between 1815 and 1840, state governments and private investors constructed more than 3,000 miles of canals. Canals are artificial waterways that linked unconnected rivers and lakes. These canals provided for a major change in transportation in America during the 1800s and also reduced freight costs.
The Erie Canal
Benefits
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The Erie Canal was constructed over a period of 8 years from 1817 to 1825. This canal extended 363 miles and it was the "last chain of waterways binding New York City to the Great Lakes and the Northeast." The Erie Canal ran from Lake Erie to the Hudson River and facilitated the movement of goods and peoples from one place to another. It also reduced the costs of freights and encouraged the creation of more canals in America. The Erie Canal was a great success and offered people a new way to get around at a time when the nation was on the go and pushing westward.
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