The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erie_Canal" id="mwRg" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Erie Canal">Erie Canal</a> opens, allowing direct passage from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_River" id="mwRw" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Hudson River">Hudson River</a> to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Erie" id="mwSA" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Lake Erie">Lake Erie</a>.