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Making America's Best Idea Even Better
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical ParkPhoto of Lock 19 from upstream towpath.
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Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park
Principal Canals Built by 1860
Map of Canals built by 1860
NPS Photo
 

Questions for Map 2

1. Why do you think canals were built along major rivers? What did the rivers provide that the canals needed?

2. Few of the many canals that were built by the middle of the 19th century are still in use today. Why do you think canal travel declined?
Photo Great Falls of the Potomac River.  

Did You Know?
The Great Falls of the Potomac River is the second largest in the state of Maryland. It is a series of cascading falls. Water drops 76 feet in two-thirds of a mile. Natural hazards in the Potomac such as water falls and rapids created the need for canals for reliable water transportation.

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Last Updated: August 07, 2006 at 11:31 EST