The Erie Canal is a historic canal in upstate New York that runs east to west between the Hudson River and Lake Erie. Completed in 1825, it was the first navigable waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the upper Great Lakes above Niagara Falls, which sharply cut the cost of moving people and goods across the Appalachians. The canal accelerated settlement of the Great Lakes region, the westward expansion of the United States, and the economic rise of New York State.
Facts
SignificanceThe Erie Canal accelerated the settlement of the Great Lakes region, the westward expansion of the United States, and the economic ascendancy of New York state. 1 FAQs
Why was the Erie Canal nicknamed Clinton's Folly?
Opponents mocked the project as Clinton's Folly after its chief backer DeWitt Clinton; tolls repaid the construction debt within a year of opening.
Political opponents of the canal, pointing to its lead supporter, New York Governor DeWitt Clinton, mocked the project as Clinton's Folly and Clinton's Big Ditch. The doubt did not last. After the canal opened on October 26, 1825, toll revenue covered the state's construction debt within the first year of operation.
Sources
1. Erie Canal (Wikipedia)
Wikipedialead section, first paragraph, completion-date sentence
Completed in 1825, the canal was the first navigable waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the upper Great Lakes above Niagara Falls, vastly reducing the costs of transporting people and goods across the Appalachians.
lead section, first paragraph, sentence on historical impact
The Erie Canal accelerated the settlement of the Great Lakes region, the westward expansion of the United States, and the economic ascendancy of New York state.
status sentence
The Erie Canal is a historic canal in upstate New York that runs east to west between the Hudson River and Lake Erie.
In Group: Canals and Seaways, Introduction
The Erie Canal is a historic canal in upstate New York that runs east-west between the Hudson River and Lake Erie.
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