On August 17, 1807, Robert Fulton’s steamboat Clermont began its first successful trial voyage up the Hudson River from New York City to Albany. The vessel showed that steam power could be used reliably for river travel. Its journey reduced travel time and pointed toward new possibilities in commerce. Regular steamboat service followed, opening inland waterways to faster trade and passenger travel. The Clermont’s success represented a key moment in the transportation revolution of the early nineteenth century. It helped knit together regions of the growing republic.
