250 to 250: 04. Erie Canal, Narrated by Pete Buttigieg

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Erie Canal, Narrated by Pete Buttigieg

Pete Buttigieg is a former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, a veteran, and the 19th U.S. Secretary of Transportation. Buttigieg tells us about the Erie Canal, the engineering marvel that opened up the interior of the United States. 

After the Revolutionary War, the United States became larger.  The country grew from the 13 original states to the Mississippi River.

• The Appalachian Mountains stretched from Canada to Alabama.
• The mountains made travel difficult.
• It was hard to move people and goods between the East Coast and the Midwest.
• Travel was slow and expensive.
• Americans wanted a faster way to travel.
• They also needed an easier way to move goods.
• New transportation projects helped connect different parts of the country.

To solve this problem, New York State built the Erie Canal (1817-1825). 

• Workers used shovels, mules, and simple machines to build it.
• The canal connected the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes.
• It made travel and trade faster and easier.
• The canal lowered transportation costs.
• More goods could move across the country.
• Many settlers used the canal to move west.
• The canal helped New York become an important center for trade.

The Erie Canal changed the economy and helped the country grow.

• Workers who built the canal played an important role in American history.
• People sang canal songs to celebrate their work and American democracy.

POP Interview and Quiz: 

• N-400 Part 7:01 Where have you worked and/or attended school (full-time or part-time) during the last 5 years?
• USCIS 100:12./128:13: What is the economic system in the United States?
• USCIS 100:90.What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?

Family Fun

• Eire Canal Museum: Resouces, Lesson Plans, Coloring Pages, Activities
• Eire Canal Heritage Corridor: Learning Hub