The first canals were used by the Egyptians and the Native Americans to irrigate fields. Water was diverted through the canal to fields. The first American canal was dug in 1750, in Orange County, New York. The construction of canals were very slow. Most of the work were done by Irish and German immigrants, who recieved low wages (around 30 cents a day). There were few tools and not many engineers. Picks, shovels, wheelbarrows, and plows drawn by horses were used for removing soil. Hand pumps were used to move water into the canal. After the Erie Canal was completed in 1825, other canals were built. They carried goods such as iron, steel, lumber, tools, tin, and ice, which was very popular in the summer.
Canal Boat Canal boats have no sails or oars. They are pulled by horses or mules. The captain took good care of the mules. There are two kinds of canal boats: line boats and packets. Packet, the passenger boat, is towed by 3 or 4 horses and can accomplish 80 to 100 miles in a day. The line boat was pulled by 2 horses and can accomplish 45 to 50 miles in a day.
Why were Canals Important?
Canals were an important form of transportation and also provided jobs for millions of people in America. Trade also improved in America. Families would live on the canals and earn money by hauling cargos from one place to another. The "canal fever" increased the miles of canals from 100 to 3,300 in 30 years. More canals were built all throughout the U.S. The population in Ohio increased from 750 to 118,761 people from 1800 to 1850.