Which of the following connected the Great Lakes to the East Coast and fueled the economic rise of New York City?
A. The transcontinental railroad
B. The National Road
C. The Cumberland Gap
D. The Erie Canal
Answer: D
Explanation: The Erie Canal, completed in 1825, connected the East Coast to the great Lakes via the Hudson River and Lake Erie. The canal fostered a population surge in western New York state, opened regions further west to white settlement, and fieled the economic growth of New York City, making it the chief U.S. Port