The American Canal is a term used to refer to two different canals in the United States. The first is the Erie Canal, which is a 363-mile long canal in New York State that connects the Hudson River to Lake Erie. It was completed in 1825 and was a major factor in the development of the region. The second is the PANAMA Canal, which is a 48-mile long canal in Central America that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It was completed in 1914 and is considered one of the greatest engineering feats of the 20th century.