A Waterway to the Interior The New York State Canal System is the most commercially enduring and historically significant canal way in the United States. This waterway
played a key role in tuming New York City into our country's most important center for commerce, industry, and finance. Besides spurring growth
in the Mohawk and Hudson valleys, these canals helped open up western America for settlement. For many years, the canals transported
much
of the Midwest's agricultural and industrial products to domestic and international markets.
The Canal's Beginning
In the early 19th century, New York State Governor De Witt Clinton had a vision of constructing a canal crossing New York and connecting
Albany and Buffalo. Some people were critical of Clinton's idea. They labeled the project "Clinton's Ditch." Even so, Governor Clinton was not
discouraged. The result was a 364-mile-long water route connecting the Hudson River (at Albany) with the Great Lakes (at Buffalo). This was the
first all-water link between the Atlantic seaboard and the Great Lakes.
Becun in 1817 the canal actually had its mots in an earlier time nerind nearly 50 vears nrior American General Philin Schinder har ninneered
3
Select the correct statement on the chart.
Which statement best describes how the passage is primarily organized?
Passage Organization
Comparison and contrast structure: outlines the differences between modes of commerce
Process and sequence structure: outlines the steps by which the canal was constructed
Cause and effect structure: outlines the reasons the canal became significant
Problem and solution structure: outlines the challenges that were met by constructing the canal