The Erie Canal Project

By: Amanda, Danielle, Kendra, Thomas, and Chase

The Beginnings of the Erie Canal

A canal is a waterway dug across the land. It goes from Buffalo to the Albany. It was Dewitt Clinton’s idea to build the canal. Other people, (like the president of the United States of America) thought Dewitt Clinton was crazy.

The Erie Canal was built in 1817, and was finished in 1825. The Erie Canal was

built for a successful way to transport trades and goods. Immigrants helped build the

Erie Canal.

Geography The Mohawk River and the Hudson River are both connected to the Erie Canal. It took nine hours on the Erie Canal to travel from Albany to Buffalo. Some cities that are along the canal are Albany, Lockport, Schenectady, Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, and Rome.

These are called locks.

How the Erie Canal was Used

The canal was useful because it was a faster means of transportation.

The Erie Canal was used to increase trade and to make transportation faster.

The impact that the Erie Canal had on New York State was that it helped many cities transport goods.

The Erie Canal is still used today. It is used for many cruises. Boats sail up and down the Erie Canal.

Interesting FactsThe Erie Canal cost seven million dollars to build. The length of the Erie Canal was 363 miles. It was 40 feet wide

and 4 feet deep.A lock is a gate that brings the boat to the next water level. The

boat goes up to the gate and the lock moves the boat to the right water level. The mules continue to move while the lock works.

Packet boats were one of the boats that traveled on the Erie Canal. There were originally 83 locks, but they took some out. Now there

are 73 locks.

About the AuthorsMy name is Kendra. I love to be in group projects.

What I found most interesting about the canal is that it is 360 miles long!

My name is Amanda. I’m nine years old. I’m in fourth grade. I think the most interesting thing about the canal is that they dug it out by hand.

My name is Thomas. I go to Enders Road Elementary School. I am in the fourth grade. The most interesting fact about the Erie Canal is that the canal was dug by hand.

My name is Chase. I am 9 years old. I go to Enders Road. I am in fourth grade. The most interesting fact about the Erie Canal is it took a long time to build, but they still got it done.

My name is Danielle. I’m nine years old. I think it is cool that people lived on the Erie Canal.