MOUNT VERNON HOTEL MUSEUM & GARDEN

421 East 61st Street · New York, NY 10065 Phone (212) 838-6878 · www.mvhm.org

Along the Erie Canal: Pre-Visit Activity

The state of New York has a wide variety of natural features, which range from mountains to waterfalls, and those made by people, such as large cities and transportation systems. One of the biggest accomplishments of New York was the construction of the Erie Canal. This man-made waterway revolutionized the way New Yorkers traded and traveled in the 1820s. The map shows New York before the Erie Canal was built. As you read about New York’s different features, label them on the map; this will help you see why the Canal was built.

MVHMG 1 Lakes

New York has a number of lakes: some are smaller and are inside the state lines, and others are very large and are on the border of the state that are part of America’s Great Lakes. • The Great Lakes are some of the largest bodies of water in the United States and two of them touch New York. All the way to the west is a lake that touches Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan and New York that the Canal is named after, Lake Erie. North from Lake Erie is the Great Lake that sits between New York and Ontario, Canada that is called Lake Ontario. Label Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. • Within the state there is also a group of lakes in the west that are long and skinny like fingers; these are called the Finger Lakes. Label the Finger Lakes.

Rivers

There are also many rivers in New York; three of its most well-known are: • The Hudson River, located on the east side of the state, stretches from the north mountain range of the state all the way south, and runs along to the west side of New York City. Label the Hudson River. • The Mohawk River runs horizontally, connecting in the east with the Hudson River and running west towards the center of the state. Label the Mohawk River. • The Genesee River, a vertical river on the western side of the state, flows through New York, connecting Lake Ontario at its top all the way south to Pennsylvania. Label the Genesee River.

State Capital

These lakes and rivers were very important to the development of New York, especially its cities. Notice where Albany, the state capital, is — set between two important rivers. These rivers make travel and trade much easier, connecting the capital all the way south with New York City and towards the center part of the state in the west. Label Albany.

But why were the rivers important? Why not just travel over land?

Mountains and Plateaus

New York State also has many land features such as mountain ranges and plateaus, which are difficult to travel over or through. The largest are: • The Adirondack Mountains lie in the northern part of the state with the Hudson River flowing through them. Label the Adirondack Mountains. MVHMG 2 • The Catskill Mountains are in the southeast region with the Hudson River running along the east side of the range. Label the Catskill Mountains. • The Allegheny Plateau, which is part of Pennsylvania’s Allegheny Mountain Range, is on the western side of the state with the Genesee River going through it. Label the Allegheny Plateau. • Through all of these features runs the Appalachian Mountain Plateau, which is rocky and changes in height and depth, making lots of rocky hills and valleys in the middle of the state. Label the Appalachian Plateau, which is between the mountain ranges and the center of the state. Traveling by water was much easier and safer than trying to climb around these rough, rocky mountain areas.

Niagara

If waterways like lakes and rivers were so easy to use, then wouldn’t the Great Lakes be a good way to connect the western part of the state with the center or the northern part of the state? These lakes cover a large part of the state’s border and connect to other states.

People did use the Great Lakes for travel and trade but there is a very famous large obstacle in the river that connects Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. Flowing between both Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, and between the United States and Canada, is the Niagara River, which is home to the world-famous Niagara Falls. Label Niagara Falls.

Erie Canal

All of these natural features come together to make up New York, and while travel and transportation were possible, there were many obstacles to overcome. Places like New York City and Albany had an easier time getting goods from places like Europe and travelers from abroad because of the rivers and bays, but the terrain and natural waterways were not the best for getting people and goods to the center and the west of the state. At the same time, it was difficult to get things from the west and center of the state out to places like Albany and New York City, such as flour, salt, and timber.

If mountains are hard to travel over or through, and New York’s waterways made travel easier, why not create a way to connect the waterways throughout the state? So came the idea for the Erie Canal, to create manmade connections between the waterways in New York to make travel and transportation much easier. A politician named DeWitt Clinton felt very strongly about this project and began to push for the Erie Canal to be made. The Erie Canal was constructed from 1817-1825, and became one of New York’s greatest accomplishments.

Looking at the map, where do you think is the best place for the canal? Try to draw the Erie Canal. Hint: One end of the canal connects to Lake Erie, while the other end connects to a river.

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