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The
Cumberland Road History for kids - Purpose of the Cumberland Road
In 1803 the state of Ohio was admitted to the Union - the problem
was that there was no easy way for people to get there. The
purpose of the Cumberland Road was to unify the new nation by
providing the means to travel the across the land in order to reach
the new settlements in the west. The primitive roads heading west in
1803 consisted of ancient Native Indian paths or old military trails
that dated back to the French and Indian War (1754–1763). The
federal government had to take action and build a National road (the
Cumberland Road) that would lead from the center of the US, which at
the time was Maryland, westward, to the newly admitted state of
Ohio.
The
Cumberland Road History for kids: The Main Street of America
The eastern
end of this great National road was situated at Cumberland on the
Potomac in Maryland. It is therefore generally called the Cumberland
Road. It would connect Cumberland, Maryland to the Ohio River. It
earned the nickname of "The Main Street of America."
The
Cumberland Road History for kids: Congress Authorizes Construction of the
Cumberland Road
President
Thomas Jefferson authorized a preliminary survey and signed an act
establishing a National Road that would connect Cumberland, Maryland
to the Ohio River. Congress passed the bill into law on the 29th of
March, 1806. The law was entitled "An Act to regulate the laying out
and making a road from Cumberland in the State of Maryland to the
State of Ohio". The
Construction of Cumberland Road began during the administration of
President James Madison and Important work commenced immediately after
the War of 1812 (1812–1814). The
contract for the construction of the first section was granted to
Henry McKinley on May 8, 1811. One of the Important advocates for the
project was Albert Gallatin, the secretary of the treasury, who was
given the name the "Father of the Nation Road".
Cumberland Road History for kids: The General Survey Act
The
General
Survey Act was a law passed by the United States Congress in April
1824 that was extremely important to the development of the
Cumberland Road. The General Survey Act authorized the president to have
surveys made of important transportation routes. The law
specified that surveys were made for routes requiring roads and
canals "of national importance, in a commercial or military point of
view, or necessary for the transportation of public mail." The
responsibility for the surveys was assigned to the Corps of
Engineers. The Corps of Engineers took over responsibility for
the construction of the Cumberland Road.
The
History of the Cumberland Road for kids: The 'American System'
The
building of the Cumberland was an important part of the economic plan
of
Henry Clay and the
'American System'.
Part of the American System was based on creating new
transportation systems connecting America.
refer to the
Erie Canal
and the History of Turnpikes.
Facts about the Cumberland Road History for kids
Interesting History Facts about the Cumberland Road History are
detailed below. The Cumberland Road History is told in a series of
facts providing a simple method of relating the events that led to
construction of the first National road - the 'Cumberland Road'. The facts answer the questions of when the Cumberland Road was
built, its length, its cost and its significance.
Cumberland Road
History
The Cumberland
Road History provides interesting
information about this important construction project that started during the presidency of the 4th President of the United States of America
and this great accomplishment helped to lead in the belief in the
Manifest Destiny of the United
States.
Facts about the
Cumberland
Road History for kids
Cumberland Road History Fact
1: The Cumberland Road,
also called National Road, was built between 1811-1837
stretched for 600 miles
Cumberland Road History Fact 2:
On August 24, 1814
the British had entered Washington where they
burned the Capitol, the White House, and several other
public buildings.
Cumberland Road History Fact 3:
The building project
took nearly 30 years to complete and stretched for more
than 600 miles. It ended in Vandalia, Illinois
Cumberland Road History Fact 4:
Congress passed
legislation that allocated the sum of $30,000 for the
building of the road
Cumberland Road History Fact 5:
The first
construction contracts for the National Road were
awarded in the spring of 1811
Cumberland Road History Fact 6:
Because the road
began in Cumberland, it was also called the Cumberland
Road.
Cumberland Road History Fact 7:
It had to be suitable
for heavy wagons, which would have created deep ruts on
dirt tracks. It was therefore paved with broken stones
that provided a solid foundation
Cumberland Road History Fact 8:
The construction
method was pioneered by a Scottish engineer called
John Loudon MacAdam, hence the name of “macadam” roads.
The lowest layer was 12-18 inches deep and consisted of
base stones approximately 7 inches in diameter (they had
to pass through a ring of that size) .
Cumberland Road History Fact 9:
It was 80 feet wide,
allowing two wagons to travel side by side. Irish
workers were lucky to get paid $6.00 a month for
breaking and laying stones.
Cumberland Road History Fact 10:
Distances were marked
by mile posts. Between 1811 and 1818 mile markers made
of stone were placed on the South side at 5 mile
intervals. In 1835 the stone mile stones were replaced
with cast iron obelisk mile markers that were placed at
1 mile intervals
Cumberland Road History Fact 11:
The early pioneers used the mile stones to check their
progress. On average 10-15 miles were traveled each day
Cumberland Road History Fact 12:
Some people never
reached their destination - they set up home en route,
many opening taverns, inns and stores. Towns soon sprang
up along the route
Cumberland Road History Fact 13:
The road reached
Columbus in 1833, but by this time, canals were
eclipsing roads for federal interest and investment -
refer to Erie Canal.
Cumberland Road History Fact 14:
Additional connecting
routes were added, including the National Pike
(connecting Baltimore) and the Washington National Pike
(that linked the nation's capital).
Cumberland Road History Fact 15:
It crossed the
Allegheny Mountains and southwestern Pennsylvania,
reaching Wheeling, Virginia on the Ohio River in
1818.
Cumberland Road History Fact 16:
By 1820 the
construction project had reached Wheeling on the
Ohio River providing access to steamboats
traveling to Pittsburg, Cincinnati, St. Louis, and New
Orleans
Cumberland Road History Fact 17:
In 1824 a succession
of private turnpikes were completed that connected the
National Road (Pike) with Baltimore, Maryland and its
port on Chesapeake Bay
Cumberland Road History Fact 18:
In 1832 tolls began
being charged. Toll-houses were built about every 20
miles - Refer to
History of the
Turnpikes (Toll Roads)
Cumberland Road History Fact 19:
Construction ended in
Vandalia, Illinois in 1837 when funding ran out
Cumberland Road History Fact 20:
The coming of the
railroad made further road building unnecessary and a new
form of transportation became available for American
citizens
Facts about the
Cumberland
Road History for kids
Cumberland Road History - President James Madison Video
The article on the
Cumberland Road History provides an overview of one of the Important
developments of his presidential term in office.
For additional info refer to
Facts on Industrial Revolution Inventions.
The following
James Madison video will
give you additional important History Facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 4th American President whose presidency spanned from March 4, 1809 to March 4, 1817.
Cumberland Road History
●
Interesting Facts about the
Cumberland Road History for kids
●
The Cumberland Road History
●
The Cumberland Road History, a Important
event in US history
●
James Madison Presidency from March 4, 1809 to March 4, 1817
●
Fast, fun, interesting
Facts on the Cumberland Road History
● The
Cumberland Road History
●
James Madison Presidency and
the Cumberland Road History for schools,
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