The Northern Gateway for antebellum trade was the primary trade route connecting the Midwestern United States with the Northeast and the Atlantic Ocean. The gateway's canals, rivers, and railroads drastically altered the makeup of America's economy, culture, and population distribution. As rail and waterway technology improved, the Northern Gateway became the preeminent trade conduit in the nation. It helped spur the growth of both eastern and western cities. Settlers rapidly began to settle in the burgeoning towns of the many trade points all along the gateway's route. It allowed goods and information to travel at unprecedented rates, which, in turn, completely re-vamped the style and processes of American culture and economics.