Final answer:
The Erie Canal connects the Atlantic Ocean (via the Hudson River) and Lake Erie, stretching from Albany to Buffalo. Completed in 1825, it greatly reduced shipping costs and time, driving significant economic growth and westward expansion in the United States.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Erie Canal connects two significant bodies of water: the Atlantic Ocean, via the Hudson River, and Lake Erie. This historic canal, completed in 1825, was a monumental engineering achievement of its time, not only for its role in transportation but also for its influence on the economic landscape of the emerging United States. The canal stretches from Albany on the east to Buffalo on the west, traversing a total of 363 miles. It played a pivotal role in reducing the costs and time of shipping, facilitating the movement of over $15 million worth of goods annually in the years after its construction—a value equivalent to over $200 million today.
Furthermore, the Erie Canal contributed to the westward expansion of the United States, as it allowed pioneers to establish farms along its route and access markets in the industrializing East Coast cities. The labor for the canal was often provided by Irish immigrants, who sometimes settled in the areas near the canal after its completion. The canal boasts a number of locks that were essential in managing the more than 550-foot elevation difference between the start and end points of the canal.