Cleveland, Ohio, was founded in 1796 by Moses Cleaveland, a surveyor for the Connecticut Land Company. The city grew rapidly due to its strategic location on Lake Erie and the establishment of the Ohio and Erie Canal in the 1830s, which connected it to the interior of the country. This development made Cleveland a vital transportation hub for goods and people. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Cleveland became an industrial powerhouse, known for its steel and manufacturing industries. The city also played a significant role in the American labor movement and was home to notable figures like John D. Rockefeller, who founded Standard Oil.