The Cumberland Road Pre- Quiz

1) How long is the Cumberland Road?A- 500 milesB- 620 milesC- 700 milesD- 1000 miles

2) Which state does the road NOT pass through?A- New YorkB- MarylandC- OhioD- Indiana

3) In what year did the construction of the road begin?A- 1808B- 1908C- 1811D- 1911

The Cumberland Road*On March 29, 1806, the construction of the Cumberland Road was authorized by Thomas Jefferson.

* The reason the road was built is because at the time there was a great demand for a road to connect the eastern part of the U.S to the rapidly developing western. This also created great wealth in the west * In addition, the Cumberland

Road is the first ever federal highway to be built in U.S history.

*The construction of the road finally began 5 years after, Thomas Jefferson’s authorization, on May 8, 1811.

* At the beginning of the road there is a granite stone that was placed to signify the start of the road.

*In all the road goes on to stretch from Cumberland, Maryland, all the way to Vandalia Illinois. This is roughly 620 miles long.

* The Cumberland Road is the first road to use MacAdam Engineering

* The road was finally opened in 1818 and went from Cumberland all the way to Wheeling, West Virginia.

* Today it is part of National Road which is several historic roads all linked together.

*The road was far from cheap. At the time it cost $3,604,086 to built. This would be equivalent to roughly $52 million today.

*A way the government helped avoid debt was by requiring each state tosupply funding for the portion of road that went through their state.

Recap1) The Cumberland Road helped to create greater wealth in the

newly developing western part of the United States.

2) The road is roughly 620 miles long and stretches from Cumberland, Maryland to Vandalia, Illinois.

3) The construction of the Cumberland Road was authorized by Thomas Jefferson on March 29, 1806

4) It is the first federal highway to be built in United States history.

5) The road was built to fulfill a demand for a road to connect the eastern portion of the U.S to the western.