How Did The Erie Canal Affect America

The greatest impacts that the Erie Canal had on America were a great increase in population, trade becoming a lot more common, but most importantly, much safer and easier travel.

An important impact of the creation of the Erie Canal was a major trade boost along the canal. In a letter from Peter L. Burnstein to Jesse Hawley, he says "The trade of almost all the lakes in North America, the most of which flowing through the canal, would center at New York for their common mart. This port, already of the first commercial consequence in the United States, would shortly after, be left without a competition in trade, except that of New Orleans." This means that the lakes of North America all flow to the Erie Canal, and center at New York, making it the main spot for trade, along with the canal itself. Another reason trade is a big impact on America is that in chart 4, it shows bushels of wheat transported on the Erie Canal. As time goes by, more and more bushels of wheat are transported on the canal, meaning that as the canal was being built and then finished, it increased with popularity and eventually became a main place to transport huge amounts of wheat. Another chart (2) shows the expenditures and revenues of the state of Ohio from 1827 to 1903. Through the first

couple decades, the canal was earning a lot of money as opposed to what it cost, however later on, it stopped earning a lot of money as people found alternative other than the canal.

This means that the canal was earning more money than it needed to run at the first couple of decades, but when people stopped using

the canal and switched to different ways to trade or travel, it started to lose money, however trade is not the only thing that effected America, population had a huge growth as well.
Another important way the Erie Canal impacted America was when it made the area around the canal extremely populated. When the canal helped spread population, it created several movements and even religions. The Mormon religion is an example of a religion that was created near the canal and the women's rights movement and anti-slavery movement. In chart 5, it shows that when the Erie Canal finished, most people were located or moved to near the canal itself. Settlements were built along the canal as well, making the canal the route through many cities, like Syracuse and Buffalo.
Lastly, the most important impact of the Erie Canal on America is that it provided much safer and easier travel. One reason travel was a lot easier is because it's cost was a lot lower, making it a better option. On land, it would take $100 a ton to travel, while only $6 a ton on the canal. In chart 1, it shows that on land, you would need a wagon with at least 8 horses, and on the canal you only need a line boat with two mules. This is obviously the better option because it is a lot easier to obtain and probably a lot cheaper. Not only was it easier to travel, however, it also took a lot less time to complete the journey. On foot, it would take 15-45 days depending on where you were headed, and only 9 days at most on the canal.
So the Erie canal was important to the people of the East because it brought a huge increase in population to the East, it made trade much more plentiful, and, most importantly, made travel much safer and much easier.