What Was The Role Of Transportation In The Early 1800's

Transportation in early America wasn’t as easily accomplished as it is today. It was difficult to transport people, much less products, anywhere. For that reason, everyone agreed that a better means of transportation was necessary. The development of roads and canals had an impact on many things in early America. They affected the environment, speed of travel, new destinations, economic growth, and western settlement. The new and improved roads in America vastly influenced the country. In the early 1800’s, there were dirt roads that were rutted and uneven, making them hard to travel on by stagecoach. When the government laid the new cobblestone roads, they made traveling not only easier, but shorter and safer. As a result, the up-to-date roads were easier to navigate by wagon which resulted in less walking and travel time. …show more content…
For instance, some roads allowed people to reach the Great Lakes, travel along the east coast, or arrive at the Mississippi River. The National Road, or Cumberland Road, was the first highway built by the federal government. It ran from Cumberland, Maryland, to Wheeling, West Virginia, and by 1850 the road stretched all the way to Illinois. The National Road granted access to farm-covered Wisconsin as well. As a result, it was popular among German Immigrants because it reminded them of their homeland. The Wilderness Road connected the east coast to the Midwest territory, including the new states of Tennessee and Kentucky. Therefore, people moved westward to start farms, own land, and escape the overpopulated cities; it also supported the growth of trade because of the pathways to exchange goods and services. People could send goods out west, and traders could send goods back to the east. With many forests cleared, the farming land available at the time