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By the middle of the nineteenth century, Americans had invented the steamboat and telegraph, dug nearly 4,000 miles of canals, strung about 50,000 miles of telegraph wire, and laid more than 30,000 miles of railroad track. These feats revolutionized communication and commerce by drastically reducing travel time and costs. Travel broadsides from this era of explosive growth show a complex network of interstate transportation lines. This network forged strong economic ties between different regions of the country, especially between the Northeast and the Midwest. | |||
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Transportation
Broadsides, mid-nineteenth century
Click image to enlarge. Copyright 2002 The Chicago Historical Society |
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