The Erie Canal was officially proposed for the first time back in 1807. It was noted for being the very first system of transportation between New York City and the Great Lakes that did not necessitate any portage. Another advantage for travelers was that it was a faster means of transportation than carts pulled by animals. Its construction also helped save travelers money because it reduced the costs of transportation by 95 percent.A waterway that can be found in New York, the Erie Canal runs for 363 miles. It travels from Albany to Buffalo, along the Hudson River until it arrives at Lake Erie. The Erie Canal basically completes a water route that is navigable, from the Atlantic Ocean all the way to the Great Lakes. A total of 36 locks span the length of the canal, and its total elevation differential is approximately 570 feet.The reasons behind the creation […]
Donating money, items, or volunteering your time at a non-profit or public agency benefits not only the targeted population but also yourself. Funding will help organizations provide their services, donated items can be used by less-fortunate individuals to establish a home for themselves, and volunteer hours can help groups continue to operate. Participating in charity organizations enables you to help less fortunate persons move towards living healthy, productive lives. In minutes or just a few short hours, you can make a difference in your community or the nation.Why Volunteer?: Provided by the Rhode Island Hospital System, this short article discusses the benefits of volunteering.Benefits of Volunteering: Written by Susan Ellis, this article discusses the reasons why volunteering benefits everyone. The page is provided by Charity Guide, a website that provides volunteering information and opportunities to users.Why Volunteer?: Hosted by the University of Missouri, St. Louis, this page discusses why students […]
Known to be royalty at sea, whales have certain qualities that make them truly unique creatures. Understanding them is a task that one must undertake in order to realize their significance in the world’s ecosystem.Not to be confused with fish, whales are actually mammals like humans and as a result, they are warm-blooded and they feed their young with milk from their mammary glands. For survival, whales inhale air through an opening at the top of their heads known as a blowhole. The location of the blowhole allows the whale to stay submerged while breathing. They release excess water and this forms a spout that can be used to determine the species of whale. Whales have thick bodies that are insulated by a layer of fat known as the blubber. Like other mammals and vertebrates, they have a spinal column and a heart consisting of four chambers. Their necks provide […]
Have you ever wondered where you came from? Unless you’re descended from a country’s own native people, your family must have immigrated to your country generations ago. As time passes, many people have forgotten where their families originally lived and it can be difficult to find out. One of the best ways to figure out where your family came from is by using the passenger lists from ships that docked in your country. Here are links provided by the Action Car, Ship, Boat and Yacht Donation Service Corporation that will help you to find passenger lists and pages with information about searching for this information.1836 Passenger List: Provides passenger lists from ships that entered into Baltimore ports in 1836.Boston Passenger Lists: An archive of passenger lists from ships that entered Boston ports in the 1800s.Steamline Passenger Lists: Detailed passenger lists from ships that traveled in the 1800s and 1900s.Great Lakes […]
Many people assume that the laws of physics are set in stone. When it comes to the freezing point or boiling point of water, everybody who has ever studied a little bit of science would be able to say water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit and water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Not many people realize that the boiling point of water can actually be changed, depending on what you place into the water.This is true for something like salt, which elevates the boiling temperature of water in a process known as boiling point elevation. Basically, water is known as a solvent and salt is known as a non-volatile solute. When you add something like salt to a solvent like water, it makes water become an impure solvent and raises its boiling point above that of pure solvents.Though salt raises the boiling point of water, it doesn’t do it very […]