Canals and roads played a vital role in the growth of the United States by facilitating greater trade, transportation, and communication. Canals such as the Erie Canal connected the largely agricultural interior regions to coastal cities, thereby allowing farmers to transport their goods more efficiently and access larger markets. Roads like the National Road expanded westward, enabling settlers and goods to move across the country more easily, while also fostering the growth of new communities and industries along its route. These infrastructure developments ultimately contributed to economic growth, regional integration, and the expansion of the nation as a whole.
