How The Erie Canal Changed America, Part 1 - Historsea, Episode 1
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- čas přidán 21. 08. 2024
- #americanhistory #documentary
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The Erie Canal is one of the most significant transportation systems in American history, transforming the way goods were transported across the country. Completed in 1825, the canal connected the Hudson River with Lake Erie, allowing goods to be shipped from New York City to the Midwest and beyond.
In this video, we explore the impact of the Erie Canal on American commerce and trade. We examine how it reduced transportation costs, increased efficiency, and expanded markets, leading to economic growth and prosperity.
Join us as we take a deep dive into the history of the Erie Canal, its construction, and the various ways it changed America forever. We also highlight the cultural significance of the canal and how it shaped the development of the regions it served.
If you're interested in learning more about the Erie Canal and its transformative impact on American society, be sure to watch this informative video. Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe to our channel for more fascinating history content!
Video credit:
• "Erie Canal" Filmed by...
• Flying over Appalachia...
I think the war you were referencing around 15:10 was the War of 1812. The US Civil war didn’t start until 1861, long after the Erie Canal was finished…
That's correct! By the time of the Civil War, railroads were already built, making most canals in the US obsolete.
That kind of made me go “tilt” as well, given that Jefferson died in 1826 and the Civil War started in 1861. That’s some tenure in office Clinton had.
There were branches or sidings of the Erie Canal that ran into major cities, so the canal boats could be unloaded downtown. These have been filled in, it’s why Schenectady and Albany both have an “Erie Boulevard”. To this day in Schenectady there is a dip in Erie Boulevard where the road is between the original canal walls. Neat to know.
Oh wow that’s really cool! Thank you
Syracuse has an Erie Boulevard as well, for the same reason.
The canal used to run all the way to Albany, not just have a cut there.
There was a cut at Watervliet (West Troy) but that was to get from the canal into the Hudson and get some speed on. It looks like the naming of Erie Blvd. in Albany may not have been because of a branch line to the canal (they didn't need a branch line, they had the actual canal) but rather that Erie Blvd runs over the buried canal.
It ends at Colonie St., a block west of Quay St. and the river front at the original terminus. It runs from there north soon adjacent to the rail road tracks. And the tracks generally follow the canal. Fair assumption that there's a canal under there somewhere. Look for evidence... there's a good bit of elevation change just north of US90 before a tiny bend in Erie Blvd which comes with a name change to Canal Rd. S. Looking for a lock... can't find one. Canal Rd. stops soon. And picks up later. Looks like the railroad left the canal around 42°41'01.57" N 73°43'42.61" W. Maybe taking a steeper slope to get around Watervliet. You can see the canal sweep over and "join" rt 32. Then I lose it at the arsenal. Looking for The Cut. I think it's by that block of social housing... Looks like we're still (again?) on 32 with the cut being near 23rd St. (42°43'58.35" N 73°42'03.86" W)
A little further up 32 there's a lock : 42°44'12.32" N 73°42'00.58" W
I grew up in Utica and have been to the Panama canal twice. I am now retired in Utica and have of course traveled various sections of the Erie Canal. Despite a lifetime exposed to it, I never knew its amazing history. Thank you so very much for helping me to appreciate another aspect of the beautiful Mohawk Valley and my heritage!
I loved this documentary. Your English is clear and easy to understand. You hit the nail by the head you couldn't have chosen a more important topic to attract your audience.
And I'll be sailing this historic cut in a couple months!
wow, i didn't want it to end. i could listen to you non stop, i love the way you speak, and your tone and tempo didn't put me to sleep. the content was amazing. it gave me some real pride in our creative abilities. cant wait for the next episode.. i personally think you have a real potential to grow this channel into something very big, because honestly, its right up there with the history channel. production level was great, speaking as a tv broadcast engineer. its not easy to produce a show like this. hope you can keep up!, but it should get easier as you develop your templates for new episodes, then it just a matter of being a good producer. multimedia journalists all over the country who work for tv stations, could really learn a thing or two from you. :)
holy shit! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is a LONG effort for a video but holy hell. Support like this I cant stop!!! Seriously, this comment will live in my head for a few years - and I mean that. Thank you!
Very well said Dan! I'm in a and subscribed at 0:13 seconds of the video!
@@Historsea Tim, keep it going, I followed you all the way down to the Bahamas and back. Great start to a new channel.
Best wishes from the far North.
@@Historsea Echoed my sentiments too Tim. 👍
Good on ya mate
Hello from Ontario Canada, some guy from a channel called Lady K Sailing sent me and I’m your 33rd subscriber. I look forward to watching this channel grow!
-cheers
Haha awesome!!! Thanks Cheers
I can tell already that This is going to be one of my most favorite channels on YT. I’m excited 😁
OMG thank you!!!!!
A fellow Canadian here, while the Erie canal ( technology imported from Great Britian) did play a huge part in making NY,NY what it is,it was the coming if another technology imported from Great Britian that would make the American economy great railroads. Remember the Baltimore and Ohio was the first chartered railway in the USA in 1829. Almost from the start both systems were in competition
Ya. the Irish Britain kicked out and abused build most of America. But go ahead and brag.
Excellent job Tim! I even learned something I hadn't already known about the Erie Canal (the bit about why the locks don't close at 90⁰), and I grew up on the Canal! The shot of Lockport that you used included my church (was St Mary's, but I think it's been changed since I lived there) and the spot my friends and I used to go fishing. Looking forward to part 2.
Thanks Mike! Was a lot of fun to make. Brought back some great memories
I think going with the Erie Canal was a great topic to start a new channel. Good Job! I also liked the point about the farmers and the farm workers contributing to the canal. My family owned an old Grist Mill in NY before settling Adrian MI. They were really building a country back then!
I grew up on a farm on the Culvert Road near Medina, N. Y. The road is built underneath the Erie Canal in a culvert. It's interesting to watch boats pass by above you as you drive through the culvert. We also received water for our farm from the canal as did other farmers in the area. Having access to water was one of the positives of having the canal near you.
Great start. I had a mule her name is Sal. Fifteen miles on the Erie canal. The war of 1812 is truly a war nobody won. England gave back all the territory it captured, and the USA didn't drive he English out of North America.
Awesome job right out of the gate and a fabulous topic to start with as well. Loved it! Nicely done Sir.
Thank you kindly!
The English Canal System was well evolved before 1800. John Smeaton was the engineer of the Calder & Hebble which opened in 1758, and a series of eight pound locks was built to replace flash locks on the River Thames between Maidenhead and Reading, beginning in 1772.[7] The net effect of these was to bring most of England, with the notable exceptions of Birmingham and Staffordshire, within 15 miles (24 km) of a waterway.[8]
Growing up in central NY, the history of the Erie Canal, the NYS Barge Canal, the St. Lawrence Seaway and the utilization of the power generating capabilities of Niagara Falls/River, to deliver cheap hydropower to the NYSPA, allowing NYS to subsidize the fulfillment of power demands of NYC metropolitan development, were well-taught in elementary school civics classes…. And just to add a few trivia items:
(1) the upstate NY Pepsi Bottling/Distributor is named “Clinton’s Ditch Bottling Company”.
(2) There were a lot of songs about the EC that were taught to young children during their civics classes… “low bridge everybody down, low bridge cause we’re coming to a town…”
Really great Tim. Thank you. Will be looking out for the notification next week.
Thank you!
Great channel! Learned lots about Erie Canal. One correction: at 15:12 you say that Dewitt Clinton, after being ridiculed by Jefferson was stymied by the outbreak of the US Civil War. But that didn’t start until 1861, roughly 33 years after Clinton died. And 36 years after the canal was completed. Maybe you meant to say the War of 1812, which you talk about a few minutes later. But great episode! Looking forward to the next one
Great catch thank you!
George Washington's Potowmack Canal was completed in 1802 and operated until 1828, providing short canal bypasses to major obstacles like Great Falls on the Potomac River.....but was not a continuous canal. It was located on the Virginia side of the Potomac River, The C&O Canal, which transits the Maryland side of the river, provided a continuous canal/towpath to Cumberland which the Potowmack Canal did not.
Right. Also, though the Potomack Canal was very early, it was the Erie that was first successful in going the distance. The C&O was one of many built because of the success of the Erie
Wonderful job with this video! I thought I knew about the Erie Canal... I didn't know the half of it. I did find myself singing to myself "Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal" a few times.
You have a wealth of material to choose from. I like the stories of the tea and spice trade. When cargo was delivered by the big square-rigged clipper ships. My favorite was the Cutty Sark.
I would also like to see stories about the great ships of the Greek and Roman times. The days of Greek Fire Ships were legendary.
You could also cover the naval battle of Yi Sun Shin of Korea, whose armored "Turtle" ships won the day against the mighty Japanese navy.
"Low bridge, everybody down" - got me too.
Great job. I really enjoyed it because I grew up in the Buffalo area.
Thank You very much. Our history is what built this great Nation.
Solid narrative in terms of content and pacing. Thank you.
Good job! Please keep doing your work on American canals. The Pennsylvania Canal was amazing. Boats were raised and lowered over the Allegheny Mountains via an incline railroad and tied the Ohio River Valley and the Midwest to Eastern markets. I live close to Sharpsburg PA where boats went over the Allegheny River on a viaduct.
This is a cool channel…the idea this was built by hand…is amazing…no steam powered tools…wow
This was a very interesting discussion. Thank you Sir ♠️
This is awesome thank you so much for putting this together! I wish more Americans cared about our amazing history!
Very interesting! Thanks, Tim!
I lived near the canal for over 25 years and learned more about the canal in this 24 minute video than what I already knew.
Great job, on a little known story of great importance. Didn’t want it to end. Thank you!
Fantastic! You already have my gears turning on how to transit the canal with my 10yo while using content like this to make it a hands on history lesson. Thank you, looking forward to the next episode!
You're off to a great start. Most enjoyable video.
Excellent, Thanks for the education.
Thumbs up Tim. Going to enjoy this.
Awesome, thank you!
And thank you!!!!!!!!!
Never considered touring the Erie Canal. Didn't even know it still existed. Now I can't wait to check it out
I'm from Binghamton. My dad is from Elmira and my mom is from Dunkirk. I love these videos!
You are a really good audio illustrator, your emphasis and pauses create interest and focus.😊
Thank you so much 😀
Brilliant!!!!!! Many thanks
I grew up a mile from Bushnell's Basin. The canal has always been a part of my life.
A solid start !
I like this better than the main Channel
Great job Tim
Very informative and well presented.
You are an excellent story teller.
Thanks!
Wonderful series!
I grew up in a canal town. (Pittsford) We referred to it as the "Barge Canal". It still had commercial barges traveling it then. It wasn't untill the 80's when we started to go back to calling it the Erie Canal.
In 1903, the government of NY decided to start the New York State Barge Canal as the improvement of the Erie Canal & is the successor. When the New York State Barge Canal was built more than half of the original Erie Canal was destroyed or abandoned. Today the Erie Canal is used mainly by recreational watercraft.
Nicely done, but, the Erie Canal no longer exists. The current canal crossing NYS is the Barge Canal which opened in 1918. The Barge canal was built mostly by enlarging the Enlarged Erie canal but also involved some rerouting. When the Barge canal was built it bypassed Rochester which was a major place on the Erie canal. Rochester was a major player shipping a lot of grain and agricultural products. Rochester was also a junction with the Genesee Valley Canal.
Everyone focuses on the transport aspect of the canals and forgets about the hydraulic power that was created and sold as a utility.
The first Industrial Park ever, was created from the Whitewater canal, due to the reliable hydraulic power to run the machinery and electric lighting.
Roots Blower was created from hydraulic canal turbines, in that first Industrial Park.
The canal continued to provide hydraulic power for nearly a century after it stopped being used for transport.
It was finally closed and dam blown up, after WW2.
The railroad bought the tow path and installed a railroad for transport.
Later it became a historical RR; running excursion trains to a rebuilt dam and historical canal town, rebuilt around 1947, Metamora Indiana.
Love it brother keep em coming.
Good episode. I live in Ohio and when I was a kid we had a couple field trips to sections of the Erie Canal. What a remarkable idea and implemented basically by hand. 👏
Grew up in Ohio near the small town of Canal Fulton, pop 5,000. There you can take a ride on the Erie Canal and go through a Lock in a recreated boat pulled by a donkey on a canal-side dirt path. Fun times!
Great channel Idea Tim! Thanks for the interesting Episode.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Very interesting video. I like the way you explain things.
Great chanel!
I really enjoyed this video! You've got a subscriber right here! On to part 2!
Nice, Tim! I think most sailors have a bug for nautical history, very cool. Future ideas; History of... The Ocean Liner, The Duck Boat, The Kayak, The Sail, The Cleat, Nautical Commerce, Navigation - from Moana to GPS, The ICW, The Monitoring of Tides, Navigation Lights on a boat, Navigation Aids - from lighthouses to waypoints. Also, love the name even though it does sound like a supplement!
I love both of your channels I grew up in Whitehall Michigan on a Catalina 36 Mark 2 when I was a kid sadly my dad passed away when I was 15 we had to sell the boat I'm looking at making my first major purchase right now on a sailboat
Great video Lady K! Can't wait to see more. Subscribed!
Thanks for subbing!
Thank you for another interesting and enjoyable video. They had black power. They had drills, for blasting, tempered iron, which used 3 men one turning the other two pounding with heavy hammers. Apparently it was comparatively fast, even in granite. It was used in the 1780 s in Europe.
I own a hammer driven iron "star" drill and while it will go through anything, it's HARD work.
@@edweir8635 We have a canal beside us the Royal canal, in longford, Ireland. Built around 1780s. It was dug by hand through rock with drills and black powder, then through peat bog, aqueducts over rivers. The bridges they built narrow but no weight restrictions still. Some of the masonry has numerous inch and a half ridges worn by the ropes pulling the boats. Except for a handful of surveyors and financiers the people are all completely forgotten.
Tim, I always give you a thumb up. Just trying to help my shrewd negotiating friend.👍
In 1903, the government of NY decided to start the New York State Barge Canal as the improvement of the Erie Canal & is the successor. When the New York State Barge Canal was built more than half of the original Erie Canal was destroyed or abandoned. Today the Erie Canal is used mainly by recreational watercraft.
I'm doin a history project this video helped alot
This is going to be a great channel Tim! You've become a great storyteller. I'll follow along and wish you all the success you deserve.
Thank you so much 😊
Good job, emphasizing the magnitude and difficulty of building the canal. Most cities along the canal have a Clinton Street as a main route.
Love your enthusiasm for history. Excellent. Thank you so much!
First ;) 😁
“Nice” 😂
LOL
Fantastic subject, Well thought out, and perfectly executed…. Coming from Lady K sailing Channel I would not have expected anything different..
Thanks Tim,
Capt. Andy 😎
The most legitimate “First” ever! That’s frikkin awesome 😁👏🏻🎉🤙🏻 😎
Best way to be first don’t let others know it’s a competition. Brownie button gold star.
It was stated that the canal was to be built in 1828. Two year later the world's first inter-city railway, the Liverpool-Manchester in England opened, with freight and passenger trains running at 30mph. The canal was instantly outdated. In Britain no new canals were built. The only new canal was a 35 mile _ship_ canal taking ocean going ships up to 35,000 tons from Liverpool to Manchester. Even this has fell into disuse as the railways are far more flexible and quicker. Many narrowboat canals were converted to run rail tracks on them.
Thanks. I grew up playing on both the old and new canal locks in Baldwinsville. But either we did not have the full history in school or I forgot it. It was great getting a big picture view of the canal. Well done.
Great video. Thank you.
Great video. Only one small comment: we pronounce it “ah-pah-LLAH-tchee-un”
Thanks for that!
I just found your channel a few days ago and it’s quickly becoming a favorite! I literally live on the last hill of the Appalachians here in Alabama.
Well done. I look forward to following your new endeavor. I too jumped over from Lady K Sailing.
Thank you!
Tim, as someone who worked on the Canal and has contacts with the Canal Corporation, send me a message and hopefully they can give you more information for a third installment.
Great storytelling
Great video and story!
I love talk of Canals. You may want to do a video on the Canal du Midi. It was completed in 1789, it connected the Atlantic and the Mediterranean sea, and it is said old Roman knowledge of hydro works helped with the development. It's crazy that Jefferson laughed at the Erie Canal when France just completed it, and Jefferson himself was in love with the French. For sure he was aware of this accomplishment.
Love it, glad I am here early.
Welcome!
Thank you so very much! Very informative and captivating delivery.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Awesome! I’ve always thought you’re a great storyteller watching Lady K, and now, I see you are a historian! We’ll done, I look forward to hearing the rest of the story about the Erie canal as well as future HistorSea stories!
Thank you so much!
Great idea, great presentation, as a retired engineer, it was a testament not only to the profession, but also to the non-engineer visionaries who took on the naysayers. Well done, will be back every time for more. Keep up the good work Tim, you have a devoted patreon. Sailor Dave from greater Houston TX who primarily sails shallow and congested Galveston Bay.
Thank you sir!
Engrossing. thank you
Interesting story all the different place they built ships in WW2.
I just came across your channel and love it! FUTURE IDEA: The cod fish trade in New England p0articularly in and around the Isles of Shoals.
Being a big history buff I like that you have this channel. Looking forward to your episodes coming out. As for your request on content, I would be interested in the development of weapons at sea over time. From fire arrows, to cannons, and so on.
Great idea!! Thank you, and thanks for watching!
Good job. Like the new channel. Looking for the next vid
Awesome thank you!
Great job Tim. Thank you.
Thank you Tim.
Nicely presented.
Tim,
Awesome new channel !!! You are talented , my friend !
Thank you very much!
I Remember hearing the story many, many years, that the Appalachian mountains were actually much taller than the Rockies at one point. The Appalachians are so old they've worn down to the point they are now. 😮
Nice job . This will work for you. Good luck.
"For hundreds of years, black powder was the only explosive available for civilian as well as military purposes. Alfred Nobel's invention of the detonator ensured a controlled explosion of nitroglycerine and made it possible to introduce this much stronger explosive on the civilian explosives market.
Among these new explosives was dynamite, a stabilized form of nitroglycerin, invented in 1867by Alfred Nobel (1833-1896).
What is the difference between dynamite and TNT?
Often, TNT is confused with dynamite as being the same thing. However, the two are not similar at all. Dynamite is made of an absorbent medium coated in nitroglycerin and wrapped in a holding tube. TNT on the other hand is an actual compound, trinitrotoluene."
The locks at Lockport are fascinating. You almost don’t see them unless you are looking for them.
great new channel. Excellent. cheers!
thanks!
Great stuff!
Excellent video Tim
Thanks Bill!
I just found your channel as an old sailor I enjoyed it tremendously .
Great concept for a channel
Hi, I thought your statement about going thru all the locks on the canal (assuming by boat) kind of odd. Lock 51 in Jordan, New York has been dry for over 100 years. The towpath (now the Erie Canal Trail) and aqueducts are very much present here. As it has been part of our history, a fun fact is Joran was always an overnight stop making it the village with the most bordellos on the canal! And of course we have Clinton Street that runs along the Ditch. The Canal divided our very little village in half.
Great video!
They tried to teach us about this in school. It was very boring as I recall. It sometimes takes an adult to be interested or see the impact and interrelationship of things like the Erie Canal, or an exceptional teacher. Thanks!
ahoy ! off to a great start!! unique channel and loved the photos with the narrative, can't wait for ep 2 and... beyond!
Great job Tim looking forward for future videos!
Thanks 👍
Great new channel! Looking forward to the second part. Thank you