what was the main purpose of the erie canal
Erie Canal The Erie Canal is a canal in New York that is part of the east–west, cross-state route of the New York State Canal System (formerly known as the New York State Barge Canal). Originally, it ran 363 miles (584 km) from Albany, on the Hudson River, to Buffalo, at Lake Erie. It was built to create a navigable water route from New York City and the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. When completed in 1825, it was the second longest canal in the world (after the Grand Canal in China) and greatly affected the development and economy of New York, New York City, and the United States.[2]
History of the British canal system The claim for the first pure canal in Great Britain is debated between "Sankey" and "Bridgewater" supporters.[15] The first true canal in the United Kingdom was the Newry Canal in Northern Ireland constructed by Thomas Steers in 1741.