New York City Transportation

Have you ever wondered how long it would take to get from New York City to Los Angeles? According to Google Maps it takes approximately 41 hours to drive, about six hours to fly, and 41 days to walk! In the late 18th and early 19th century the United States was centered on the East coast and the only major ways of transportation were by water. By the early 1800’s the country started expanding with the likes of Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee, the only way of transportation between these states was by foot or horse. That was until the 19th century, where transportation changed for the better, new technologies made transportation easier, faster, and just more convenient. Roads were the first to come, followed by canals, steamboats and railroads. …show more content…
According to Dictionary.com a canal is “an artificial waterway constructed to allow the passage of boats or ships inland.” The first major canal was the Erie Canal, first proposed in 1807. Although construction didn’t begin until 1817 and wasn’t finished until 1825. This canal stretched from Albany, New York to Buffalo, New York, it made an unfathomable contribution to the wealth of New York City. The creation of canals increased trade throughout the nation being able to reach western settlements. The Erie was only the first of many, as of today we have 37 active canals in the United …show more content…
By mid-19th century the railroad era had begun, the creation of railroads was a lot like a rollercoaster... a very fast rollercoaster. Railroads provided extremely fast transportation, they had a reliable schedule, and were usable year round. Railroads were also a much safer way of transportation, and were far less hazardous. The first major railroad was the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, linking ports in Baltimore all the way to Ohio River and was used for transportation as well as shipping trade