Lincoln Landing Curriculum Unit An introductory lesson about the Illinois & Michigan Canal and the Lincoln Landing site
Dec 22, 2015
Lincoln Landing Curriculum Unit
An introductory lesson about the Illinois & Michigan Canal and the
Lincoln Landing site
Illinois: 1600’s – 1700’s
• Beautiful prairie land, ideal for agriculture
• Potawatomi Indians lived in northern Illinois area. Their homes were called wigwams.
• They enjoyed the rich soil, abundant wildlife and the rivers of Illinois.
Father Jacques Marquette
& Louis Joliet explored Illinois
• Traveled from Green Bay, Wisconsin to Illinois via canoes
• Trapped furs along Illinois waterways
• Traded with Indians and learned about a waterway through Illinois
Marquette & Joliet discover a water route
through Illinois• Canoed & portaged upriver
from Arkansas back into Illinois
• Learned from Indians that Illinois River could be navigated upriver back to Chicago
• Returned to Green Bay with idea for a canal to create a corridor from east to west.
Illinois & Michigan Canal links Great Lakes
to Gulf of Mexico
• 96 mile canal from Lake Michigan to the Illinois River
• Construction began in 1836 and was completed in 1848. Much of canal was built by Irish immigrant workers.
• Canal opened commerce from the eastern United States to the Gulf of Mexico.
Importance of Locks along Canal
• 15 locks were built to allow canal boats to drop from the water level of Lake Michigan to that of the Illinois River.
• Boats carried grain, wood (pictured here), people and other cargo. A trip from Chicago to LaSalle took about 24 hours.
• Boats were pulled by donkeys which walked along a tow path next to the canal.
Importance of Lockport
• Headquarters of the I & M Canal
• Engineer William Gooding designed the canal from office in Lockport
• Canal Commissioners met here and tolls collected in LaSalle, Ottawa, Joliet and Bridgeport were accounted for.
Importance of Lockport
• Public Landing was location for much trade and dormitories for canal workers. This is now the site of the Lincoln Landing exhibit.
• Gaylord Building was a grain storage facility along the canal.
• Led to growth of Lockport and other towns along the canal
Importance of Abraham Lincoln to
I & M Canal & Illinois History
• Lincoln – Douglas Debate: one of most important debates in American history took place in Ottawa, Illinois.
• Lincoln made political deal that helped fund the completion of the I & M Canal.
• Part of the deal included moving the state capital from Vandalia to Springfield, Illinois.
• As President, he announced the opening of the canal in Congress.
Lincoln Landing Exhibit
• Field trip site to learn about I & M Canal, Lockport, Abraham Lincoln and important events in Illinois history.
• Located along the I & M Canal in Lockport
• Medallions throughout the park describe important people.
• Other plaques describe artifacts and important buildings
Lesson ReviewTrue or False
The I & M Canal connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.
FALSE:
The I & M Canal connects the Great Lakes to the Illinois River, which then connects to the Mississippi River & the Gulf of Mexico.
Lesson ReviewTrue or False
Construction of the Illinois & Michigan Canal was completed by Irish immigrant workers.
TRUE:
Irish immigrants were instrumental in constructing the 96 mile canal.