Roads, Canals, and Rails in the 1800s
Waterways and a growing network of railroads linked the frontier with the eastern cities. Produce moved on small boats along canals and rivers from the farms to the ports. Large steamships carried goods and people from port to port. Railroads expanded to connect towns, providing faster transport for everyone.
Map by National Geographic Society
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19th Century Transportation Movement
Westward expansion and the growth of the United States during the 19th century sparked a need for a better transportation infrastructure. At the beginning of the century, U.S. citizens and immigrants to the country traveled primarily by horseback or on the rivers. After a while, crude roads were built and then canals. Before long the railroads crisscrossed the country moving people and goods with greater efficiency. This caused distinct regional economies to form and, by the turn of the century, a national economy. Travel through these technological developments during the 19th Century Transportation Movement with the selected classroom resources.
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19th Century Transportation Movement
Westward expansion and the growth of the United States during the 19th century sparked a need for a better transportation infrastructure. At the beginning of the century, U.S. citizens and immigrants to the country traveled primarily by horseback or on the rivers. After a while, crude roads were built and then canals. Before long the railroads crisscrossed the country moving people and goods with greater efficiency. This caused distinct regional economies to form and, by the turn of the century, a national economy. Travel through these technological developments during the 19th Century Transportation Movement with the selected classroom resources.