1. ERIE CANAL

2. - Dewitt Clinton connects New York City to Lake Erie

3. -Locks – separated compartments raise (lower) water levels

4. ERIE CANAL Mules pulled barges astonishingly fast since steamboats were too big and would damage the earthen embankments with their engines. 2 horses could pull up to 24 miles in a day, much faster than a wagon. Later, in the 1840’s the canals were reinforced to handle tugboats with bigger shipments.

5. ERIE CANAL

6. Importance!!!! 1)Improved Trade -Goods move faster (water vs. roads) = cheaper -Connects ports -Carry more goods It reduced the cost of moving a ton of flour from Buffalo to New York from $120 to $6.

7. ERIE CANAL 2) Creates new big cities in new places! - Cities like Schenectady and Syracuse grow along new trade routes

8. ERIE CANAL 3) Unites the Country!! (West to East) - People move faster! - News moves faster !

9. World speed record holding (581 km/h) JR- Maglev in Yamanashi, Japan. That is approximately 360 miles per hour! IMAGINE THE IMPACT THAT THE NEW BULLET TRAINS WOULD HAVE… They currently go 220 mph which means you could live in Columbus, and Cleveland and Cincinnati would only be a half hour away! Some go even faster! This will give you an idea of how Canals and roads changed America in the early 1800’s!