Mr. Lou Parrotta

Utica City School District

Thomas R. Proctor High School

lparrotta@uticaschools.org

Introduction

The Erie Canal transformed the economy of the United States. More importantly, it made the City of Utica one of the most bustling cities in the entire Northeast, Oneida County one of the fastest growing counties in New York State, and New York State the economic capital of the country.

This WebQuest will allow you to understand firsthand how the Erie Canal played a vital role in the economic development of the entire United States from 1825-1850.

Task

1. You will use the AHPPA steps to understand how the Erie Canal was integral to the economic development of the City of Utica, the County of Oneida, the State of New York and the United States as a whole.

2. You will be required to write a comprehensive paper on the impact the Erie Canal had on a particular area – the City of Utica, the County of Oneida, the State of New York or the entire United States.

Process/Resources

1. Visit the Oneida County Historical Society’s website: http://www.oneidacountyhistory.org/Transportation/Canals/ErieCanal/ErieCanal.asp

2. Visit the official Erie Canal website: http://eriecanal.org/

3. Visit the official New York State Erie Canal webpage: http://www.canals.ny.gov/cculture/history/

3. Complete APPA Worksheet #1

4. Complete APPA Worksheet #2

5. Complete APPA Worksheet #3

6. Complete APPA Worksheet #4

7. Research the various people that played a role in the development of the Erie Canal.

8. For your research paper, utilize the information from Worksheet #1 to introduce your topic.

9. Be sure to use the information you have in Worksheets 2, 3, and 4 to address the topic (problem) you raise in your introduction.

Grading Rubric

	4	3	2	1
Thesis	Clear & well developed	Limited development	Undeveloped	Confused
Analysis	Effective	Limited	Weak	No analysis
Supportive Information	Substantial relevant information	Some factual information	Lacking information, minimal	Incomplete Inappropriate responses
Grammar and structure	No errors	Minor errors	Contains Major Errors	Contains many errors
Organization of Research Paper	Well organized and well presented	Clearly organized and presented	Weak Organization & presentation	Disorganized and poorly presented
Points Earned	_________	_________	_________	_________

Conclusion

Upon completion of this web quest, students should be able to:

1. Evaluate the role the Erie Canal played in the economic development of the United States

2. Evaluate the direct impact of the Erie Canal on a specific area – the City of Utica, the County of Oneida, the State of New York, or the entire United States

3. Assess how the Erie Canal improved the commerce of the area selected

4. Describe the Erie Canal’s impact, outside of commerce, on the area selected

New York Learning Standards

SOCIAL STUDIES

Standard 1: History of the United States and New York

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in the history of the United States and New York

Standard 5: Civics, Citizenship, and Government

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the necessity for establishing governments; the governmental system of the United States and other nations; the United States Constitution; the basic civic values of American constitutional democracy; and the roles, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of participation.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

Standard 1 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.

MATH, SCIENCE, and TECHNOLOGY

Standard 2: Students will access, generate, process, and transfer information using appropriate technologies.