The Growth
Throughout the nineteenth century, more Americans lived on farms and in other rural areas than in cities. Nevertheless, in the early national period, cities attracted many Americans, eager for adventure, or searching for work. There were definitely benefits to living in the city. City dwellers had access to markets and shops; while those in the country and in the frontier had to rely on Yankee peddlers, many of whom were less than honest. In the cities, factory work was very common, while in the country, it was farm work that was common.
Deforestation
Before the arrival of Europeans, about half of the land that is now the United States was forest. For the next 300 years land was cleared, mostly for agriculture, at a rate that matched the rate of population growth. For every person added to the population, one to two hectares of land was cultivated.
New York and Trade
By the start of the 19th century, the port -- located along South Street -- had begun a period of intense growth and activity. Brooklyn was incorporated as a village in 1816 and construction began on the Brooklyn Navy Yard in Wallabout Bay. New York became a great city because of its access to the sea and through the 17th and 18th centuries, the city and the port grew steadily. The district received further boosts from the inauguration of Fulton's Brooklyn ferry service in 1814 and the establishment of the Fulton Market in 1822. In 1825, with the opening of the 425-mile Erie connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean via the Hudson River, produce and goods from the country's midwest poured into the harbor.