Changing Britain - Canals Flashcards
(15 cards)
Describe the advantages of using canals for transporting goods.
Canals provided a cheaper and more reliable means of transporting bulky goods such as raw materials, fertilisers, foodstuffs, and finished manufactured products.
Explain the impact of canals on industrial development.
Canals opened new lines of communication between industrial areas, encouraging the growth and development of various industries.
How did the growth of coastal ports relate to canal transportation?
The growth of coastal ports was facilitated by canals, as they allowed for the transport of food supplies, coal, and other goods from inland areas.
Define the term ‘navvies’ in the context of canal construction.
‘Navvies’ refers to a new group of mobile workers who were employed in the construction of canals and later worked on railway construction.
What financial benefits did canal investments provide?
Investing in canals could yield vast sums of money for those who financed their construction.
Discuss the speed of canal transport compared to traditional methods.
Canals were faster than carriages and pack mules because once a horse got a barge moving, its momentum would maintain a decent pace.
Explain the planning process behind the construction of canals.
Canals were constructed without an overall plan, leading to a more organic development of the canal system.
Do canals have an effect on communication between regions?
Yes, canals significantly improved communication between industrial regions, facilitating trade and interaction.
Describe the challenges faced by canals in terms of profitability.
Canals were sometimes built too closely together, leading to unprofitability.
Explain the logistical issues involved in a cross country journey using canals.
A cross country journey might require using several different canals with varying tolls and boat sizes, necessitating the transfer of goods from one boat to another.
Identify the weather-related hazards that affected canal operations.
Canals were subject to weather hazards such as water shortages, drought, floods, and frost, which posed significant problems for industries relying on them for transport.
Define the financial requirements for constructing canals.
Constructing canals was very expensive, requiring funds for surveying routes, purchasing land, paying engineers and laborers, and acquiring construction materials.
How did technological advances impact the use of canals?
Technological advances rendered canals obsolete, as many users shifted to faster and more efficient railways for transport.
Discuss the implications of canal construction on land acquisition.
Canal construction required purchasing land, which added to the overall expense and complexity of the project.
What role did Acts of Parliament play in canal construction?
An Act of Parliament was necessary to survey routes for canals, indicating the legal and bureaucratic steps involved in their construction.
