This volume provides an overview of the building of the National Road, a project that shaped the geography and history of the US by uniting east and west, and ultimately dividing north and south. It describes the origins, evolution, and meaning of the National Road for American culture, economics, and patterns of settlement. The text argues that, because of the emerging technology of the railroad, the National Road was obsolete from the time it was built; and in addition, it argues that it was also premature, because the technology necessary for making efficient use of an improved road network was nearly a century away.