New York City became a major center of commerce and trade after the Erie Canal was built in the early was built in the early 1800’s.
Explanation:
The Erie Canal was inaugurated on October 26, 1825 and connects Albany along the Hudson River with Buffalo, located on the Niagara River in the state of New York.
This connection was first proposed as early as 1699 but its construction began in 1817. About 584 km long, it has a total of 36 locks and a total height difference of 172 meters.
The canal allowed boats to access the great inland lakes from New York City, thus becoming an important trade route, allowing NYC to pass the city of Philadelphia as a commercial port. It was the first transportation system between the east coast and the western interior of the United States that did not require portage.
