Answer: Great Lakes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Before the railroads were built to crisscross and transport goods and people around the United States, canals were the most convenient mode of transport inland as they could transport goods faster than over land.
The Erie Canal was one of the most famous of its day and when completed was the second largest in the world. It was built to connect New York to the Great Lakes. This canal made New York City part of what it is today as it greatly improved the economy.