Canals and the Making of the Modern World

Join Bernie Carlson, Vaughan professor emeritus of humanities at the University of Virginia and an expert on invention and technology, as he traces the rise of canal systems from 17th- and 18th-century France, Britain, and Ireland to 19th-century America. Examine how the 1825 opening of the Erie Canal revolutionized U.S. travel and transportation, especially in New York and Pennsylvania. Explore how canals reflect national politics and ambitions and why they remain vital to global shipping today. Osher Online is the facilitator of this exclusive Zoom course.