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George Washington - His Origins, And His Canal
George Washington was born in 1732, in Virginia, into a family of wealth. His early years were pleasant; he learned to ride horses, and helped around the plantations. He pioneered many up-to-date innovations on his property; therefore the farm became a model for others. Washington Sr. owned half a dozen plantations, and George kept busy working between them. His father was an American antiques' original, who had come from Northumberland, England. Ironically, the capital, which was was originally named simply the District of Columbia, has become the capital now named Washington, District of Columbia.
After the Capitol city was built, many lawmakers got into the habit of saying they were going down to see Washington, or going to Washington's place, as Mount Vernon was nearby. The name of Washington was placed in front of the District of Columbia, making it less significant. It usually appears now in its hyphenated form of D.C.
The origin of the name Washington came out of three Viking words. According to Historians, Vikings were raiding and pillaging England. One of these Vikings named Vasa built a fort atop a hill, or an ing and a ton. Soon, the place became a popular trading post, where farmers could trade a pig for a cow, or for food products. In time, it became common to say, "We are going to Vasa's Ing Ton." A thousand years later, Wash Ing Ton became a proud name in the English language, known now as Washington, D.C.
In his plan for a canal to get through the mountains,the place Washington picked, the terrain was too rugged and funds not adequate for Washington to attempt to build his canal, which would have united the sea near Philadelphia with the Ohio River near Pittsburg, which is on the west side of the mountains, and on the cargo and barge system south, following Mississippi River system.
By using this canal system, people could get through the mountains and emigration would be made easier. Washington's canal would have made Philadelphia the largest city in America, and Cairo, Illinois the second largest city, as transit now points. Chicago became so large because it was at the transit point for Great Lakes vessels to trade cargo, with river flat bottom boats that could not survive the wind and waves of the Great Lakes. This would have placed the city to severe America's needs as does Chicago at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, and mighty New York and Chicago would still be cities, but likely one more the size of Milwaukee, Boston or Minneapolis.
The mighty city would be Cairo,Illinois. Chicago, and New York City can get fiercely cold winters, as can New York City. In contrast to a cold and windy Chicago facing north, floating from Philadelphia to Pittsburg, down to Cairo, then up of down the Mississipi, Cairo is so far south, it can grow cotton. People of Chicago might wish Washington's plan had prevailed; Washington's plan was to build a canal to allow flat bottom boats to travel to Philadelphia by the sea, through to Pittsburg, on the Ohio River, whose waters flow to New Orleans, into the Mississippi.
Ironically, vessels might be better suited to transit up the Ohio to Pittsburg, up the Mississippi to Minneapolis. As it was, at the connecting points between these river systems, Cairo would then have become the largest city in the west, taking in three states; where the Ohio River meets the Mississippi, and vessels could go in three directions; up to Minneapolis, or down the Mississippi to New Orleans.
New York City would not be the city it is today; Philadelphia, on the other hand, would would have been massive in size. New York City exploded in population growth with all the additional jobs of being America's transport hub.
New York City benefited a great deal when the Erie Canal was completed. Labour consisted, mainly of the first wave of non-English. The first immigrants were Irish, and it was the Irish who built the Erie Canal in the 1839's. When New York City turned into a prime port, it became the largest city in America. Chicago, at the far end of this supply route, soon became the second largest city.
Census records show that New York City only passed Philadelphia in population after the Erie Canal was opened. Then both transit points, New York and Chicago both outgrew all other American cities.
Now, ocean going vessels could berth at New York City. Here, they could place their cargo in flat bottom river barges that would now take goods as far west as Chicago. Washington's dream was then not necessary, and remains a distinct compliment of the vision of the man who understood how vital communication and transport were to create a nation. Washington did not live long enough to see his canal to the west plan completed; even if in another location. George Washington fought to win over a superior British Army, as well as founding a nation.
Nation building aside, Washington's model farming techniques and visionary business sense assure him a place in history.
About the Author Derek Dashwood finds history fascinating and how enemies at one time are friends another time American Antiques
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