The expansion of railroads, canals, and steamships facilitated economic growth, created new industries and innovations, and set the stage for the continued expansion of the American economy in the years to come. While these developments had their social and environmental costs, they nonetheless represent a critical chapter in the history of the American economy and its ongoing evolution. One significant impact of transportation developments during this period was the opening up of new markets. The expansion of railroads, canals, and steamships made it possible for goods to be transported more quickly and efficiently, and at a lower cost.
During the period of 1815-1860, a Transportation Revolution swept through America (Murrin pg. 293). The improvements in transportation included more and better roads. steamboats, canals, and railroads (Murrin pg. 293). These new railroads were able to connect old communities with previously isolated areas (Murrin pg. 293). In 1815 the United States was a rural area stretching from old settlements on the Atlantic coast to the trans-Appalachian west, with transportation facilities spanning from primitive and nonexistent (Murrin pg. 294).
There was a significant increase in population and migration in the West with the frontier settlement. Not only this but there was also a desire for more revenue for their families to be able to eat, and to also buy land. Railroads also had a huge influence in the United States development; it helped to connect the Central and Eastern part of United States to the West. With the Congressional appropriation of funds, many corporations agreed to build the railroad for the right of land in the West.
The government invested heavily in transportation networks such as railroads and ports, which helped to connect industrial centers and aid the movement of goods and
The transcontinental railroad improved transportation by increasing supply and demand, and connecting people in the United States. Before the railroad,
Statistical analysis of these factors has revealed that the railroad was a factor leading to settlement, with at least one half of urban growth in the Midwest in the late 1800s coming directly from railroad systems (Atack et al., 2010). As previously mentioned, poor soils and precipitation rates of the middle American continent prevented rich agricultural production found further east. This meant that farms would have to be larger to produce an equal amount of food and dense populations would benefit from supplementation from eastern production. By default, this meant the western development needed to originate in eastern cities and matriculate through towns and railroads to eventually reach western settlers (Wand and Latham, 2001).
The Erie Canal opened up many opportunities as massive amounts of people started immigrating towards it. The canal caused the creation of cities such as Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse as the canal was along the cities’ paths. The Erie Canal was seen as a miraculous fertilizer as it caused towns to quickly spring up. The massive success of the Erie Canal set off a chain reaction that caused many other states to start creating canals of their own, which in turn fostered economic growth, as states invested in their people by investing in infrastructure. Before the invention of the steamboat, many rivers were seen as one-way streets because boats could go upstream as they were unable to fight against the current.
For example in the Islamic Caliphate cities such as Mecca and Baghdad became very religious and learning centers of the empire grew. The growth of the empire brought people to its cities for religious purposes and for better education. This changed the urban development in the cities . This is because, as the Islamic Caliphate grew, more people went to the important cities in the empire. Mecca and Baghdad became much more popular.
Railroads, for example, were something that the Plains Indians despised; so much hat they would attack the workers of the railroads because they did not want the railroad to go ahead. The railroads allowed for hunters to kill buffalo. This caused the areas to become slaughterhouse capitals. Also thriving was the iron and steel production. This contributed to the production of the airplane and automobile.
Moreover the growth of railroads made it possible for the establishment of business organizations across America because people were much more closer and urbanization played a huge role in making many people and cooperation’s to create and expand their businesses throughout the country making them well known to the public and also help create employment opportunities in the places where businesses where
The building of canals such as the erie canal helped speed up trade by connecting lakes and ocean helping to lower
“In 1820, about 58 towns more than 2500 inhabitants; by 1840, there were 126 such towns, located mostly in the Midwest and Northeast.” The fastest growth occurring in areas were near canals, railroads, and roads because of the easy access of raw and manufactured materials. Toward the later 19th century, the settlers began to move west for cheaper property because the land inhabited near the town built around transportation was getting
All of these improvements allowed for easier expansion of US territory and a more interconnectedness between the
The building of roads, canals and railroads played a large role in the United States during the 1800s. They served the purpose of connecting towns and settlements so that goods could be transported quickly and more efficiently. These goods could be transported fast, cheap and in safe way through the Erie Canal that was built to connect the Great Lakes to New York. Railroads were important during Civil War as well, because it helped in the transportation of goods, supplies and weapons when necessary. These new forms of transportation shaped the United States into the place that it is today.
A city is a good place to continue the further education and to find a suitable job. A city can provide government facilities to its people which makes easy to sustain the life and to perform the task. In addition, the city may be regarded as a relatively permanent concentration of population, together with its diverse habitations, social arrangements, and supporting activities. Cities might differ in cultural aspects and from other types of human settlement and association. Today I am comparing and contrasting my hometown, Kathmandu and the city I am living in, Colorado.
