Transportation Transportation RevolutionRevolution

United States IUnited States I

After 1815, Dramatic improvements After 1815, Dramatic improvements in transportationin transportation RoadsRoads SteamboatsSteamboats CanalsCanals RailroadsRailroads

Create interregional linkages, Create interregional linkages, previously not in existancepreviously not in existance

Condition in 1815Condition in 1815

Rural nation—highly fragmentedRural nation—highly fragmented Transportation ranged from Transportation ranged from

primitive to non-existentprimitive to non-existent West of Appalachians—almost totally West of Appalachians—almost totally

undevelopedundeveloped

Western transportationWestern transportation

Most settlers lived near shores of Most settlers lived near shores of Ohio/Mississippi River SystemOhio/Mississippi River System

Float products down river—from Float products down river—from Pittsburgh about 30 daysPittsburgh about 30 days

At New Orleans—shipped to Eastern At New Orleans—shipped to Eastern portsports

Boats then torn apart for lumber and Boats then torn apart for lumber and boatsmen walked home on Natchez Traceboatsmen walked home on Natchez Trace

Upstream TransportUpstream Transport

Difficult and ExpensiveDifficult and Expensive Poling up river—15 miles per dayPoling up river—15 miles per day ResultsResults

Limited goodsLimited goods Expensive pricesExpensive prices

East-WestEast-West

Natural flowNatural flow Hauling goods over mountains Hauling goods over mountains

expensiveexpensive

RoadsRoads

National RoadNational Road Baltimore to Wheeling, Virginia by 1818Baltimore to Wheeling, Virginia by 1818

Lancaster TurnpikeLancaster Turnpike Linked Philadelphia, Lancaster and Linked Philadelphia, Lancaster and

PittsburghPittsburgh New YorkNew York

Major road from Albany to Lake Erie by Major road from Albany to Lake Erie by 18121812

By 1821—4,000 miles of roadBy 1821—4,000 miles of road

Problems with roadsProblems with roads

ExpensiveExpensive Especially for bulky itemsEspecially for bulky items Oats exampleOats example

Hard to maintainHard to maintain Often not linked togetherOften not linked together

Privately ownedPrivately owned No common planNo common plan

SteamboatsSteamboats Key to western developmentKey to western development John Fitch and Robert FultonJohn Fitch and Robert Fulton

Clermont 1807Clermont 1807 Flatbottom boat developmentFlatbottom boat development

11stst riverboat by 1815 riverboat by 1815 BoomsBooms

New Orleans as major portNew Orleans as major port Massive flow of good—up and down riverMassive flow of good—up and down river Freight charges reducedFreight charges reduced Interior opened to developmentInterior opened to development

Dangers of SteamboatsDangers of Steamboats

Very unsafeVery unsafe Short life span of boatsShort life span of boats

Boiler explosionsBoiler explosions FiresFires

High loss of lifeHigh loss of life

CanalsCanals

Steamboats conquer western riversSteamboats conquer western rivers N-S flow to Gulf of MexicoN-S flow to Gulf of Mexico

Still looking for effective way to reach Still looking for effective way to reach eastern seaboardeastern seaboard

Canal was optionCanal was option EngineeringEngineering CostsCosts

New York looked promisingNew York looked promising Good geography—Lake Ontario ShorelineGood geography—Lake Ontario Shoreline

Erie CanalErie Canal

DeWitt Clinton—key figureDeWitt Clinton—key figure Believed possible—only 570 foot riseBelieved possible—only 570 foot rise Convinces NYS legislature to build 364 Convinces NYS legislature to build 364

mile canalmile canal Longest to this point 28 milesLongest to this point 28 miles

Begun in 1819 Finished 1825Begun in 1819 Finished 1825 Most was handdug through forest landsMost was handdug through forest lands

New immigrant laborNew immigrant labor

SuccessSuccess

Immediate successImmediate success Dramatically lowers transportation Dramatically lowers transportation

costscosts $100 to $15 per ton$100 to $15 per ton Cuts travel time to 8 daysCuts travel time to 8 days

Urban DevelopmentUrban Development Buffalo, Rochester, SyracuseBuffalo, Rochester, Syracuse

Agricultural DevelopmentAgricultural Development

Canal BoomCanal Boom

Encouraged other states to develop Encouraged other states to develop comparable projectscomparable projects

Set off 20 year canal boomSet off 20 year canal boom Some effective, other much less soSome effective, other much less so

Pennsylvania Canal—Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania Canal—Pittsburgh and Philadelphia Philadelphia Combined canal and railroad trackingCombined canal and railroad tracking

Most went bust because of Most went bust because of overbuildingoverbuilding

RailroadsRailroads

First railroads connected cities to First railroads connected cities to rivers and canalsrivers and canals B & O Railroad linked Baltimore to the B & O Railroad linked Baltimore to the

rivers of the westrivers of the west Approx. 3,000 miles built between Approx. 3,000 miles built between

1820 and 18401820 and 1840 Did not constitute a national or regional Did not constitute a national or regional

networknetwork Not until 1850’s did this emergeNot until 1850’s did this emerge

ImpactImpact

Threatened to make other forms of Threatened to make other forms of transportation obsolete.transportation obsolete. New York Central vs. Erie CanalNew York Central vs. Erie Canal

Speed and low overall costSpeed and low overall cost Ability to go almost anywhereAbility to go almost anywhere

Geography not a serious barrier.Geography not a serious barrier.

Overall impactOverall impact

Reduced time and money it took to Reduced time and money it took to move heavy goodsmove heavy goods Overall costs of moving goods dropped Overall costs of moving goods dropped

95% between 1815 and 1860.95% between 1815 and 1860. Improvements in speedImprovements in speed Allowed for a national market to Allowed for a national market to

emergeemerge Self-sustaining domestic marketsSelf-sustaining domestic markets

Facilitates foreign tradeFacilitates foreign trade