Erie Canal
Another mode of water transportation was the canal, or an artificial channel for water. There are two main types of canals—those used for irrigation purposes and the canals used for transportation. During the 1800s, lakes and rivers provided a cheap source of transportation. The problem, however, was the lack of waterways in certain areas. By 1840, the United States was comprised of some 3,000 miles of canals.
Of considerable significance to the United States was the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825. The canal was constructed by the state of New York and is about three hundred miles long connecting the Hudson River and Lake Erie. With the construction came the ability to travel far more easily as well as an increase in the rate of settlements along the Great Lakes region.