Our first trade routes were the navigable streams, rivers, and lakes. The settlers followed these waterways into the interior of the country.

Along their shores towns and cities sprang up.

To-day the United States has thousands of miles of such waterways.

Over them pass boats and barges laden with goods. The Mississippi River and the rivers that flow into it afford about 15,000 miles of navigable waters. These aid greatly in our internal trade.

The Great Lakes have been, and always will be, important in this trade. Millions of tons of freight are transported over them each year.

Great quantities of grain, lumber, meats, iron, and copper are shipped from the West and Middle West to our eastern cities and to the sea coast.

Coal and manufactured goods are shipped westward. Thus we see that our waterways are important in our internal trade.

But more important and useful in this trade are our great systems of railroads. Of these you will read in the next lesson.

Questions and Topics for Discussion

What can you say of the products and occupations of the various regions of our country?

Does each region produce just what it needs of its own product, or does it produce more than it needs?

Are these products needed elsewhere?

How are they obtained? What is sent in return?

What does this exchange of products make?

Why is each part of our country interested in the prosperity of every other part?

In what does much of the business of the United States consist? What is necessary in order to carry on this trade?

What were our first trade routes? Describe them.

How many miles of waterways have we to-day?

How do they aid in carrying on our great internal trade?

LESSON XVII

THE GREAT PART IN OUR PROSPERITY
TAKEN BY THE RAILROADS

NOTE TO TEACHER. Compare our network of railroads with the railroads of the pupil's native land. Compare, with the help of the pupil, the frequency of trains, the service, the accommodations, and the fares. Name the railroads that pass through your city. Locate the stations. Use time tables to show train time and destinations.

On July 4, 1828, Charles Carroll, then ninety-three years old, laid the foundation stone of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.

He said, "I consider this among the greatest acts of my life, second only to the signing of the Declaration of Independence."

The great part taken by the railroads in making us a united and prosperous nation has shown the wisdom of his statement.

The first railroads were built to connect the river and lake ports. Later they followed the line of canals.

The canals were closed by ice four or five months of the year. Because of this the railroads soon grew in importance as carriers of the products of the country.

In 1840 there were over twenty-five thousand miles of railroads in the United States. The development of industry and of our Great West began a little later.

Just at this time the American steam engine was being improved and perfected. All of these facts led to great railroad building between the east and the west.

Thus the way was opened for the flow of population westward. It made possible the development of the country's resources.

Towns and cities grew where a few years before there had been only untilled land.

To-day there are five railroads which go from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast.

There are other great lines which connect the Atlantic cities and ports with the cities of the Great Central Plain.

Still others extend from the Middle West to the Pacific. North, South, East, and West are connected with bands of steel. Over them pass express, freight, passengers, and mail to every point in the country.

Fruit, vegetables, grains, and livestock are carried quickly from one place to another.

Railroads have been built far into the coal fields. They carry many millions of tons of coal to markets all over the country.

Over the railroads ore is hauled to the smelters.

Manufactures of the East and Northeast are carried to the South and West.

Our markets everywhere are within reach of the producers.

The railroads have bound the people and the country together.

Our lawmakers who meet in Washington may come from the most distant points in four days or less.

Business men find it convenient and helpful to meet the people with whom they are trading.

People in one part of the country may easily visit people in its other parts. They may enjoy our country's natural beauty. Distance has been overcome by the speed of the modern locomotive.

The railroads have been a powerful agent in making us a strong, prosperous, and united nation.

Without them our prosperity would last no longer than would our crops without sunshine and rain.

Questions and Topics for Discussion

What did Charles Carroll say when he laid the foundation stone of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad?

Has this been proved true?

For what purpose were the first railroads built?

Why did they grow in importance?

How many miles of railroad were there in the United States in 1840?

What led to further railroad building?

What effect did this have on the growth of the country?

How many railroads are there to-day which go from coast to coast? Where do some of the other lines extend?

What is carried over these railroads to every part of the country? How does this affect our prosperity?

Tell how the railroads have bound the people and the country together.

Write the story of how our railroads have helped to make us a prosperous and united nation.

In your story compare our system of railroads with the railroads of your native land.