Four years after the National Road was initially proposed, Congress found a suitable corridor for its construction. months[6] = " The Siteseen network is dedicated to producing unique, informative websites on a whole host of educational subjects. The National Road during the Industrial Revolution Q:Where did the National road start and end? The National Road was a federal project in early America designed to address a problem which seems quaint today but was extremely serious at the time. Before the Industrial Revolution, there was a time lag in almost everything that took place in the United States. As the road began in Cumberland, it was also called the Cumberland Road. For additional info refer to Facts on Industrial Revolution Inventions. Cumberland Road History for kids: The General Survey ActThe General Survey Act was a law passed by the United States Congress in April 1824 that was extremely important to the development of the Cumberland Road. "; months[4] = " Explore the interesting, and fascinating selection of unique websites created and produced by the Siteseen network. in 1839, though construction continued afterward. Sources and Places to Go to Find Out More. This made travel by stagecoach or wagon very difficult and dangerous. However, regardless of such difficulties, the road continued its way from Cumberland westward, and by 1818, the National Road had reached Wheeling, Virginia. The cost of inland transportation plummeted from $100 a ton to less than $8 a ton. The result was a poor network with much regional variation. Part of the American System was based on creating new transportation systems connecting America. months[0] = " Discover the vast range of useful, leisure and educational websites published by the Siteseen network.

The young nation possessed enormous tracts of land to the west. Cumberland Road History Fact 2: On August 24, 1814 the British had entered Washington where they burned the Capitol, the White House, and several other public buildings. Work began on the first ten miles, which headed west from the town of Cumberland, in western Maryland. Trastornos del estado de ánimo . The Erie Canal also linked farms in the West to markets in the East. In 1817, Congress authorized the construction of the National Road, also known as the Cumberland Road. It took months to send packages or goods across the country. months[2] = " Check out the interesting and diverse websites produced and created by the international publisher in the Siteseen network. Cumberland Road History Fact 13: The road reached Columbus in 1833, but by this time, canals were eclipsing roads for federal interest and investment - refer to Erie Canal.
As the National Road was considered vital to the nation, it was to be paved with broken stones. The National Road slowly continued westward and eventually reached Vandalia, Illinois, in 1839. But when it struck out westward, toward Wheeling, West Virginia (which was then part of Virginia), extensive surveying was required. Also, different companies used different widths of track, so only certain trains could travel on certain railroads. Road Transport and the Industrial Revolution (Classroom Activity) At the end of the 17th century, British roads were in a terrible state. The federal government had to take action and build a National road (the Cumberland Road) that would lead from the center of the US, which at the time was Maryland, westward, to the newly admitted state of Ohio.

Cumberland Road History Fact 1: The Cumberland Road, also called National Road, was built between 1811-1837 stretched for 600 miles. In History. Create your own unique website with customizable templates. Work on the National Road continued steadily, with crews heading both eastward and westward from the origin point in Cumberland, Maryland. Unlike the others, it was not an unprofitable venture; additionally, the  national road was made even more unique by the fact that it was the first to be entirely funded by the federal government. In some parts, the road could follow an older path, known as the Braddock Road, which was named for a British general in the French and Indian War. Travel on the National Road was reliable, and many thousands of settlers going westward in heavily loaded wagons got their start by following its route. Everything happened at a glacial pace. The Erie Canal revolutionized transportation and set the path for states to begin building their own canals to promote industrialization. With the quality of roads improving—albeit slowly and inconsistently—a greater volume could be moved faster, especially expensive items that would absorb the turnpike bills. With a growing understanding of Britain’s industrial expansion and population growth, the government passed laws aimed at preventing the road system decaying any further, rather than improving the situation. Even so, the expansion of Turnpikes caused a major expansion in wheeled transport. The roads heading westward at the time were primitive, and in most cases were Indian trails or old military trails dating to the French and Indian War. These plans, however, could not all be executed once construction of the road began in 1811. "; As work proceeded on the National Road, the technique advanced by MacAdam was put to use, giving the new road a very solid foundation that could stand up to considerable wagon traffic. Canals are man-made waterways. The Erie Canal was a 363-mile canal connecting Albany on the Hudson River with Buffalo, New York. Robert J. McNamara is a history expert and former magazine journalist. The primitive roads heading west in 1803 consisted of ancient Native Indian paths or old military trails that dated back to the French and Indian War (1754–1763). The Development of Roads in the Industrial Revolution. By purchasing a steam engine built by James Watt, he was able to use the engine to power a 133-foot steamboat, the.