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TRANSPORTATION REVOLUTION

TRANSPORTATION REVOLUTION• Roads: The National Road—first major east-

west highway.• Started in 1811 from Cumberland, MD to Wheeling, VA• The only federal funded project of its time

• Turnpikes: tolls you have to pay to use.

1789 1860

TRANSPORTATION REVOLUTION

• Canals: The Erie Canal—connected the Hudson river to lake Erie.

• Water transport was quicker and less expensive than travel by land.

• The Erie Canal connected Buffalo on Lake Erie with Albany along the Hudson River.

• The canal helped farmers in the West become part of a national market.

• Towns along the canal grew rapidly.

1789 1860

TRANSPORTATION REVOLUTION

• Railroads: “the Iron Horse” travel by railroads was much faster than horse and wagon• Tom Thumb was the first American-

built steam railroad. Designed and constructed by Peter Cooper in 1830

• Pulled the first passengers at an average of 10 mph

• Many advantages over the steamboat

• Could travel anywhere track could be laid

• Much faster than horse and wagon

1789 1860

Developments in transportation were funded

in a number of different ways. • Private investors formed

transportation companies. These companies sold stocks to fund their projects. Not only Americans, but Europeans as well, invested heavily in the stocks of these corporations.

• City and state governments also invested in internal improvements, particularly canals and roads.

• The Federal Government contributed to the building of the National Road which crossed the Appalachian Mountains.

• Through tariffs the federal government was able to provide enormous land grants to transportation companies to fund the creation of canals, roads, and railroads

• The courts as well played a critical role in promoting economic development. o Judges ruled in favor of

canal and railroad companies to help them gain land or to protect them from lawsuits claiming damages to property.

To build railroads,

canals, and roads!

TRANSPORTATION REVOLUTION

How did the Transportation Revolution impact the United States?