Download or read book A Primary Source Investigation of the Erie Canal written by Lara Sahgal and published by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. This book was released on 2015-07-15 with total page 67 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Snaking its way through 363 miles of upstate New York, the original Erie Canal was the most massive public works project the United States had seen before the Civil War. Many doubted that such a grand waterway could be constructed, but upon its completion, it almost instantly became an enduring national symbol of American ingenuity. This volume relates the captivating story of the Erie Canal, chronicling how some dedicated political figures and surveyors-turned-engineers helped make one of the earliest American engineering marvels a reality. Primary source documents provide historical context, showing how the Erie Canal transformed the greater American landscape.