U.S. Technology: History

Lesson 4: Transportation Revolution

This lesson will discuss the early transportation revolution in the United States. It will discuss the canal system, as well as steamboats and railways.

Roads

On March 2, 1807 the US Senate asked Albert Gallatin, who was the Secretary of the Treasury, to prepare a plan that would allow for the opening of roads and canals in the United States. It was hoped that these roads would bring together the new nation and make the states truly united. It was thought that if there was a system of roads and canals to ease transportation, it would be harder for states to think of seceding from the nation.

Roads were, for the most part, nothing more than clearings in the woods and trodden-down paths. Many of these roads were so narrow that they were not suited for anything more than foot traffic or the occasional horse. A paved road was a luxury few were afforded, making traveling all the more difficult. An overland trip from Washington DC to Boston required ten days of traveling, sixteen hours a day.

As soon as the Revolutionary War was over people began asking their state and local governments to make better roads. When government didn't act, private companies began taking over the building of roads. In many states these roads were called turnpikes, and various companies were allotted stretches of land upon which to build roads. These roads were well paved and tolls were charged for traveling upon them.

Pennsylvania was the first state to charter a turnpike. This was the Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike Company, and it was chartered in the first part of 1792. It was a huge success and by 1820 Pennsylvania had authorized the creation of 146 turnpike companies; 84 of them raised enough money to build roads and 1,807 miles of paved roads were constructed.

The first interstate turnpike was the Cumberland Road; construction began in 1815. It was routed from Cumberland in Western Maryland through southwestern Pennsylvania, to Wheeling on the Ohio River in West Virginia. If you are ever there, make sure to stop and see the original toll house; I highly recommend it. The National Road would make it to Columbus, Ohio in 1833 and reach the Mississippi in the 1850’s. This road was the basis for today’s U.S. Route 40.

The turnpike boom would run until the beginning of the Civil War. By the time it was through, there would be thousands of miles of hard surfaced roads, many of which would fall into disrepair during the war. For this section please read pages 93-99 of Cowan’s text and think about the significance of the road system that was started. Try and find out where the oldest road is in the area in which you live, the history of it may be more fascinating than you even imagine.

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