The Erie Canal connects the Hudson River with Lake Erie. Buffalo and other cities in New York experienced great growth during the 19th century due to large volume of goods moved through the canal between the port of New York and the midwestern United States.
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Map by Kate Krezel
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Human Modification of the Environment
For thousands of years, humans have modified the physical environment by clearing land for agriculture or damming streams to store and divert water. As we industrialized, we built factories and power plants. While these modifications directly impact the local environment, they also impact environments farther away due to the interconnectivity of Earth’s systems. For example, when a dam is built, less water flows downstream. This impacts the communities and wildlife located downstream who might depend on that water. Use these resources to teach your students how humans modify the physical environment and the compounding impacts those changes have.
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Human Modification of the Environment
For thousands of years, humans have modified the physical environment by clearing land for agriculture or damming streams to store and divert water. As we industrialized, we built factories and power plants. While these modifications directly impact the local environment, they also impact environments farther away due to the interconnectivity of Earth’s systems. For example, when a dam is built, less water flows downstream. This impacts the communities and wildlife located downstream who might depend on that water. Use these resources to teach your students how humans modify the physical environment and the compounding impacts those changes have.