When did they start building the Erie Canal?
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When did they start building the Erie Canal?
1817
Begun in 1817 and opened in its entirety 1825, the Erie Canal is considered the engineering marvel of the 19th Century.
Why was the Erie Canal built in 1817?
It was built to create a navigable water route from New York City and the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, originally stretching for 363 miles (584 km) from the Hudson River in Albany to Lake Erie in Buffalo.
How long did it take to create the Erie Canal?
eight years
It took canal laborers—some Irish immigrants, but most U.S.-born men—eight years to finish the project. They cleared the land by hand and animal power and blasted through rock with gunpowder.
Was the Erie Canal built during the industrial revolution?
The Erie Canal was completed in 1825 and was one of the United States’ most important steps toward becoming an industrialized nation. Before the canal’s creation, the Early Industrial Revolution had begun around the 1790s with new technology that increased productivity of agricultural work.
How many died building the Erie Canal?
1,000 deaths
Erie Canal: 1,000 deaths Of the 50,000 workers, 1,000 lost their lives, due to disease from the swampy terrain and careless use of gunpowder while blasting. Others drowned or were buried under tons of rubble from frequent canal collapses.
Can you swim in the Erie Canal?
Beneath the seemingly calm surface of the Erie Canal, dangers lurk. State law prohibits swimming, diving or fishing in any canal lock chambers, from the lock walls or from any other canal structure.
What did the Erie Canal accomplish?
The Erie Canal is a man made waterway linking the Hudson River to the Great Lakes. It opened up America to westward expansion, making the transport of goods and people quicker, cheaper, and more efficient and thus contributing to the growth of industrialization.
How long did it take to build the Erie Canal and how many lives were lost?
It took 50,000 workers eight years to build what became a modern-day super highway. Sadly, an estimated 1,000 people died during the construction of the canal, primarily from hazardous work involving gunpowder that was used to move rock and mountains.
How did they build the Erie Canal?
The canal was built largely with raw manpower provided by Irishmen using primitive tools with very little compensation for their hard work. The men completed a canal that was 40 feet wide, 4 feet deep, and stretched hundreds of miles. It could support boats with 30 tons of freight.
Who funded the Erie Canal?
Clinton was elected Governor later that year, just before construction of the Erie Canal started at Rome on July 4, 1817. Thereafter, construction and operation of the Erie Canal was authorized, funded, and managed by New York State.
How deep is the Erie Canal now?
12-23 ft deep
Fast Facts
| JUST THE FACTS | |
|---|---|
| Canal dimensions, 1918- present Erie Barge Canal | 12-23 ft deep x 120-200 ft wide; locks 310 ft long |
| Cost to build | $7,143,789 |
| Return on Investment | 10 years |
| Number of aqueducts to bypass rivers and streams | 18 |
Does the Erie Canal still exist?
Nearly 200 years old and still going strong. New York’s canal system has been in continuous operation since 1825, longer than any other constructed transportation system on the North American continent.