Question

What were the physical obstacles, political issues, and economic factors involved in building a network of roads, canals, and railroads in the Northeast?

Answer 1

Physical obstacles:

Rivers were hard to find, so canals had to be built.

The mountains were hard to cross, so railroads had to be built.

Economic Factors:

The need for cheap ways to deliver goods far away pushed the creation of roads, canals, and railroads such as the National Road. These endeavors costed money.

Political Issues:

President Monroe deemed unconstitutional and vetoed a bill that would have granted money for the states to build roads.

John C. Calhoun and Henry Clay defended the need for new roads and other methods of transportation.

Answer 2

Factors that made construction of infrastructure difficult in the Northeast There was little help from government.  In terms of geography, the terrain was rough and jagged with lots of twists and turns.  There was also opposition from competitors who saw the new transport systems as a threat to their business.