Chapter Three, Lesson 1 Rails Across the Nation Mr.Julian’s Class

Unit Essential Question: How do new transportation methods affect where people live?

Lesson Essential Question: What type of transportation made it possible to travel and move goods across the united States more quickly?

Vocabulary Pony Express Telegraph Transcontinental Railroad

Linking East and West In the 1850’s the only railroads were east of the Mississippi River. To travel from the east to the west you had two choices: 1. Take a train to St.Louis and then board a stagecoach for the rest of the journey. 2. Board a ship and sail around the southern tip of south America up to the west coast

Linking East and West In 1860 a new business called the Pony express began delivering mail from Missouri to California in just 10 days.

Linking East and West The Pony Express was a 2,000 mile journey. Riders would ride about 75 miles every day, trading horses every 10 - 15 miles.

Linking East and West The Pony Express was soon put out of business by the telegraph. The telegraph sent messages along wires using electricity. Samuel Morse invented the telegraph and a way to send messages called Morse Code. The first telegraph across the country was completed in October 1861.

The Transcontinental Railroad The telegraph was great for news and messages but it could not carry people or goods to the west. Many people believed that the best way to link the east to the west was to build a transcontinental railroad. President Lincoln favored the railroad.

The Transcontinental Railroad In 1862 congress approved two companies to build the railroad, the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific. The Union Pacific began building track west from Omaha, Nebraska The Central Pacific began building track east from Sacramento, California.

Across the Plains The two companies were paid in both land and money. The company that could lay more track and cover more land faster would get more money and more land. The Central Pacific had the more difficult track as they had to cut through the Rocky Mountains

Across the Plains The Union Pacific had problems as well. They had a great labor shortage. This problem ended when the Civil War ended as many veterans joined the railroad. The most serious problem they faced were the Native Americans.

Over the Mountains The Central Pacific had its fair share of labor problems as well. Most people living in California came there to find gold and they were not interested in earning the $35 a month pay check. The Chinese came looking for gold as well. The Chinese made up 80% of the total workforce.

The Golden Spike On May 10, 1869, the tracks of the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific met at Promontory Point, Utah Territory. A special golden railroad spike was used for the occasion. The transcontinental railroad changed travel in the U.S. What use to take months now only took a week.

Summary Why did the telegraph put the Pony Express out of business? What were two problems that the Union Pacific faced? What role did the Chinese play in building the Central Pacific railroad?