1. BUILDING A NETWORK OF ROADS, CANALS, AND RAILROADS (1800-1850)

2. ROADS
Original roads were animals paths that Native Americans used for tracking
Later horse and wagons created dirt roads
Physical Obstacle= rain and storms would wash away the roads
Gravel or Paved Roads
Political Factor= Anti-federalist were against spending money on building roads
Economic Factor= Private companies paid for the first roads called TURNPIKES (toll roads- users would pay a fee, or toll, to use the road)

3. ROADS
Corduroy Roads were roads in marshy areas made of logs laid side by side
Physical Obstacle= very hazardous for the horses because their legs could get caught between the logs
Wilderness Road= cleared by Daniel Boone, it crossed the Appalachian Mountains through the Cumberland Gap into Kentucky
The National Road= first federally funded road,
Cumberland, MD to Wheeling, VA and later reached
Vandalia, IL

5. HENRY CLAY’S AMERICAN SYSTEM
Henry Clay = Republican from Kentucky (war-hawk during the War of 1812)
He believed the west needed better roads and canals to transport goods from one region to another
Political Factor= a policy that proposed high tariffs and a federal program of public works.
Economic Factor=
high tariffs (tax on imports) would help Northerners buy farm products from the west and south
Tariffs create revenue for the federal government to use to build up the countries infrastructure (roads, bridges, and canals)

6. CANALS
Canal is a channel that is dug across land and filled with water
were the fastest and cheapest way to get goods to isolated western farmers.
Physical Obstacles= most rivers ran north to south, canal had to be built to travel east to west
Steamboats
Economic Factor= allowed for faster and easier transportation of raw materials and manufactured goods.
Physical Obstacle= not suitable for ocean travel, rivers could freeze in the winter

7. CANALS Erie Canal- went from the Hudson River to Lake Erie
Physical Obstacles= challenging for engineers because the land was not level
Economic Factors= cut costs of freight transportation by 95%, contributed to the wealth and stature of NYC

8. RAILROADS
Economic Factors= connected raw materials, manufactures and markets
First Railroad went from Baltimore to Ohio