Cultural Landscape:
United States and Canada
The
Erie
Canal
Proposed in 1808 and completed in 1825, the canal links the
waters of Lake Erie in the west to the Hudson River in the
east. An engineering marvel when it was built, some called it the
Eighth Wonder of the World.
It was built in to open the country west of the Appalachian Mountains
to settlers and to offer a cheap and safe way to carry produce to a
market, the construction of a canal was proposed as early as 1768.
However, those early proposals would connect the Hudson River with
Lake Ontario near Oswego. It was not until 1808 that the state
legislature funded a survey for a canal that would connect to Lake Erie.
Finally, on July 4, 1817, Governor Dewitt Clinton broke ground for the
construction of the canal. In those early days, it was often sarcastically
referred to as "Clinton's Big Ditch". When finally completed on October
26, 1825, it was the engineering marvel of its day. It included 18
aqueducts to carry the canal over ravines and rivers, and 83 locks, with
a rise of 568 feet from the Hudson River to Lake Erie. It was 4 feet deep
and 40 feet wide, and floated boats carrying 30 tons of freight.
The Path of the Erie Canal
Golden Gate Bridge
San Francisco, California
United States Capitol Building, Washington, D.C.
The White House, home of the democratically
elected President of the United States.
St. Louis Gateway Arch
St. Louis, Missouri
Independence Hall is one of
the nation's most historic
buildings. It was the place where
our nation was founded and our
system of government established.
Delegates of the 13 British
Colonies met in the Assembly
Room of the Pennsylvania State
House and debated and approved
the Declaration of Independence.
It was here that the Articles of
Confederation were adopted in
1781 and the U.S. Constitution
was drafted in 1787. Built between
1732 and 1756 the building's
actual name is the State House of
the Province of Pennsylvania and it
only came to be known as
Independence Hall in the 19th
century.
The new $12.6 million Liberty
Bell Center is open daily from
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Inside
there are video presentations
and exhibits about the Liberty
Bell, focusing on its origins
and its modern day role as an
international icon of freedom.
Taped presentations about the
history of the Liberty Bell are
offered in a dozen languages
for the convenience of foreign
visitors. The Liberty Bell itself
is displayed in a magnificent
glass chamber with
Independence Hall in the
background.
Wheat fields are a predominant feature of the U.S. and Canada.
This gives an area the nickname the “Bread Basket”.
Where is the “Bread Basket”?
The Great Plains
Dairy Farms
New York City Skyline
The United States and Canada are home to thriving
urban areas, lined with skyscrapers.
Chicago Skyline
Washington, D.C.
The
United States
Capital
Quebec City, Quebec
Vancouver, British Columbia
Ottawa,
Ontario
The
Canadian
Capital
Canada is home to two official
languages. What are they?
English & French
Petroleum, by the
barrel, is at an all
time high!
Despite oil prices, Americans
continue to travel, in record
numbers.
We are a mobile society.
The United States and Canada export an
enormous amount of technology…
Information and
Human Resources.
(Nuclear Power Plant)
The United States and Canada are both very wealthy countries
because of their industrial and agricultural success. Could that
change?
Shopping seems to
be the nation’s
past time.
(The Statue of Liberty)
Wealth, Power, & Privilege
Poverty
Disparity