Chapter 12 Section 2 Moving West

The Quest for Land! To one observer in 1817, “Old America seemed to be breaking up and moving westward.” These pioneer families often carried everything in (1) Conestoga wagons. Pioneers depended on long-handled axes and the (2) rifle. Conestoga Wagon

Routes West In 1775, (3) Daniel Boone and 30 lumbers crossed the Cumberland Gap and cleared a primitive trail known as the Wilderness Road. Daniel Boone escorts settlers over Cumberland Gap.

Routes West Others made their way through the (4) Northwest Territory over rough wagon roads. New Yorkers sometimes traveled across the (5) Mohawk River valley to Lake Erie.

Improvements to Road Travel The rise in movement and industries made it clear reliable transportation systems were needed. Private companies began constructing (6) turnpikes or toll roads. Lancaster, Pennsylvania Turnpike in 1795.

National Road at its greatest completion in 1839. A National Road In 1806, Congress approved (7) government funds to pay for the building of the National Road. National Road at its greatest completion in 1839.

Roads Construction began on the first national road in 1811. It stretched from Maryland across the Appalachians to Wheeling Virginia. By 1838, it was extended to Vandalia, Illinois.

Travel by River In 1807, Robert Fulton’s (8) steamboat marked the beginning of a new era in water travel. Fulton launched his steamboat, Clermont, on the Hudson River. It traveled 150 miles upstream in an amazing 32 hours. Robert Fulton’s Clermont on the Hudson River. Robert Fulton

Steamboats By the end of 1807, 17 steamboats operated in the U.S.; by 1820 there were 69; and by 1855, there were 727. Between 1820-60, carrying capacity on western rivers increased 100 times and steamboats became the major form of western transportation. Regular transatlantic steamship travel began in 1838. This is an illustration of the sailing of the Clermont.

Canals For moving heavy goods, Americans depended on (9) canals. A canal is a channel dug out and filled with water to allow boats to cross a stretch of land. In 1816, the U.S. had 100 miles of canals, none longer than 28 miles.

Canals Farmers in New York pressed to build a canal to get their products to market in NYC. Between1818-1825, the (10) Erie Canal was constructed to connect the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers to Lake Erie and stretched 364 miles. The canal linked the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. "View on the Erie Canal" by John William Hill, 1830-1832

Elbow Room – School House Rock