What is the Erie Canal and why was it important?

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 made?

It was built to create a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes Basin, originally stretching for 584 kilometres (363 mi) from the Hudson River at Albany to Lake Erie in Buffalo.

How did the Erie Canal work?

Erie Canal locks consist of two sets of Miter-V gates to form the chamber and contain the water , underground tunnels for the water to flow in or out and tunnel valves (they resemble guillotines) to open or shut the water flow through the tunnels. The lock chamber and floor is made of concrete.

What was the most important thing about the Erie Canal?

The Erie Canal played a major part in commerce in the history of the United States. Its creation helped to make New York City the chief port in the United States and opened the western part of the state and other western territories to increased settlement and trade.

Why was the Erie Canal so successful?

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.

What was the purpose of the Erie Canal quizlet?

A canal between the New York cities of Albany and Buffalo, completed in 1825. The canal, considered a marvel of the modern world at the time, allowed western farmers to ship surplus crops to sell in the North and allowed northern manufacturers to ship finished goods to sell in the West.

What 2 bodies of water did the Erie Canal connect?

Erie Canal, historic waterway of the United States, connecting the Great Lakes with New York City via the Hudson River at Albany.

Where does the Erie Canal go?

The U.S. Congress recognized the Erie Canal ‘s significance to our nation by establishing the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor in 2000. The Corridor stretches 524 miles across the full expanse of upstate New York , from Buffalo to Albany and north along the Champlain Canal to Whitehall .

How was the Erie Canal filled with water?

Seneca and Cayuga lakes, lying at the heads of their respective stretches of the Cayuga and Seneca canal, are natural reservoirs which not only supply all the water this canal needs but also augment the supply of the Erie branch between its junction with the Cayuga and Seneca canal and Three River Point.

Does the Erie Canal still exist?

Nearly 200 years old and still going strong.