In the prime years of the 1800’s railroads and canals played a great role in improving the U.S. Railroads and canals help industrialize the U.S.; making it easy to import and export goods globally. The development of railroads was one of the most important spectacles of the Industrial Revolution. Canals were man-made rivers which were deep enough to deal with ships which were capable of moving nearly forty tons of weight. Economic expansion spurred the building of canals to speed goods to market. The railroads and canals brought an economic change to the country because it made trading resources between states and other countries easier. The creation of canals was a great addition to the United States economic growth. The first canal that …show more content…
The completion of the Erie Canal prompted 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 well-known commercial city in the United States. According to “weebly.com”, the trade that the Canal brought to the state was more than anyone could imagine, with the tolls it collected, it paid off all of its debt of 7 Million Dollars in just over a decade. The canal's success was responsible for New York's current nickname: "The Empire State." The Erie Canal was a huge success as a transportation route. Goods from the west could be taken across the Great Lakes to Buffalo, then on the canal to Albany and New York City, and possibly to Europe. An investment that help improve that much was a successful investment. Another major canal that helped the U.S economy is the Panama Canal. The creation of the Panama Canal was quite severe. 27,000 people died building the Panama Canal. The US relied on a huge system of racial and ethnic segregation, the Gold and Silver Rolls. American, white workers were paid in gold, and they had better housing and conditions. They lived in shacks and ate outside or under porches during the …show more content…
The railroad was first developed in Great Britain. A man named George Stephenson. Travel was one of the aspects of the U.S. most impacted by the completion of the transcontinental railroad. Railroads most likely have had the largest impact on the American economy of any development in the 19th-century. Railroads changed the U.S; in fact, the four time zones were developed by the railroads. In order for trains to arrive and depart on time the telegraph was necessary, for many of the longer lines they were single track, and the arrival of trains at double tracks had to be organized. Precise time keeping was important for the successful operation of the railroad. Railroads created a claim for more efficient industrial techniques, transportations, the ultimate handling of tickets, and cargo created the first professional class in America. Railroads cut travel times between distant cities from weeks and months to days or even hours. According to encyclopedia.com, Before the railroads, it took almost six months and cost up to $1000 to travel between California and New York. After the transcontinental railroad was completed, it costed up to $150 and took one week. For the first time, U.S. Americans could freely travel from coast to coast. This drastically changed both industry trading and transportation. It allowed goods to be shipped all over the country. Not only did it make this quicker but also