What was a major effect of building canals in the United States?

• A. Decrease in river traffic
• B. Decline in trade across the nation
• C. End of slavery
• D. Growth of cities along canal routes

Answer: (D)

Building canals opened up inland regions by providing a cheaper, faster route for moving bulky goods from farms and mines to coastal markets. The Erie Canal, completed in 1825, connected the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, dramatically lowering travel time and transport costs for crops, timber, coal, and manufactured goods. As goods moved more efficiently, towns grew up along these routes to serve as hubs of trade, attracting merchants, laborers, and new residents. Cities such as Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse in New York expanded because they sat on these waterways, turning canal routes into thriving commercial corridors. That surge in urban growth along the canals shows why the major effect was the growth of cities along canal routes.