The Erie Canal in New York is part of the east–west, cross-state route of the New York State Canal System. It was built to create a navigable water route from New York City and the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, originally stretching for 363 miles from the Hudson River in Albany to Lake Erie in Buffalo.

What was the Erie Canal and what was its purpose?

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 bad?

The Erie Canal had some negative effects on political relations and species habitats, as well as on the Native American population. It created questions of which levels of government would pay for different improvements. Pollution levels in the Erie Canal caused many species in the area to decline in population.

What did the Erie Canal do?

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. ... It transformed New York City into the nation's principal seaport and opened the interior of North America to settlement.

Was the Erie Canal Good or bad?

The mountains also prevented people in the west from sending their wood and farm products east. But the Erie Canal overcame the natural barrier of those mountains. It helped open the American West. The canal made the United States a richer and stronger young nation.

200 years on the Erie Canal

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How were things done before the Erie Canal?

Before the opening of the Erie Canal, New Orleans had been the only port city with an all-water route to the interior of the United States, and the few settlers in the Midwest had arrived mostly from the South.

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.

What happened 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.

What were three positive effects of the Erie Canal?

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.

What is a negative effect of canals?

Canals provide deep-water, nutrient-enriched habitats for expansion of nonnative pest plants such as water lettuce, hydrilla, and water hyacinth. These plants can modify water chemistry, deplete oxygen levels, shade out native species, decrease water flow, and interfere with navigation and flood control.

Are there negative impacts of the canal?

One of the negative environmental impacts the canal could have is leakage of saltwater into groundwater reservoirs, thereby contaminating them. As well, the canal itself could create a physical barrier for wildlife trying to move from one area to the other.

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.

Can you swim in the Erie Canal?

Swimming, diving or fishing in the lock chambers or from the lock walls or any other canal structure is prohibited. Hunting on, at or near canal locks or any other canal structure is prohibited.

How long did it take to go through the Erie Canal?

The Erie Canal was the first fast and cheap route through the Appalachian Mountains. Before the canal was built it took 15 to 45 days to travel from Albany to Buffalo by wagon and cargo cost about $125 a ton. After the canal was built, it took about 9 days at a cost of $6 a ton.

How does water get into the Erie Canal?

The critical points in supplying water to canals are usually the summit levels. ... On the new Erie canal the descent is downward from Lake Erie to the confluence of Seneca river, which flows from the west, and Oneida river, which comes from the east, where they join to form Oswego river and run north into Lake Ontario.

What are 3 important facts about the Erie Canal?

14 Navigable Facts About the Erie Canal

• GEORGE WASHINGTON PROVIDED AN EARLY MODEL. ...
• A FORMER PRISONER HELPED SPUR THE CANAL'S CONSTRUCTION. ...
• THOMAS JEFFERSON HATED THE IDEA OF THE CANAL. ...
• IT WAS DESIGNED BY AMATEURS. ...
• THOUSANDS OF LABORERS BUILT THE CANAL BY HAND. ...
• THE ORIGINAL ROUTE SPANNED 363 MILES.

How many locks are on the Erie Canal?

There are a total of 57 locks and 17 lift bridges on the Canal System (including the lateral canals). How big are the locks on the Canal System? All Canal System lock dimensions are 328 feet long and 45 feet wide.

What is the difference between the Erie Canal and the barge canal?

Since 1992, the Barge Canal is no longer known by that name. Individual canals in the New York State Canal System, formerly collectively known as "the Barge Canal," are now referred to by their original names (Erie Canal, Oswego Canal, Cayuga–Seneca Canal, and Champlain Canal).

How much money did the Erie Canal make?

In 1849, the Erie Canal shipped 1,580,000 tons of goods in forest, agricultural, and manufacturing products, as well as merchandise and a combination of other products. The value of these goods was equal to more than $52 million (Volpe, n.d.).

How did New York recover the money that it spent to build the Erie Canal?

Therefore, the New York State legislature took the matter into its own hands and approved state funding for the canal in 1816, with tolls to pay back the state treasury for upon completion. New York City Mayor DeWitt Clinton was a major proponent of a canal and supported efforts for its construction.

How did the Erie Canal change the environment?

Canal success however, transformed and “affected the environment not only directly, but also by fostering population growth and production for the market.” In order to provide fuel to operate the steamboats on the Hudson that transported the western and interior goods to the port in New York City (as well as brought ...

What clogged canals?

A pile of wastes in canals with dirty water results to unpleasant smell and clogging of canals that leads to flood when rain falls.