1. Transcontinental Railroad
American History

2. vocabulary
Manifest Destiny

3. The Civil War accelerated the pace of industrialization in the United States through the late 19th century and early 20th century. Nowhere was this more evident than in the construction of the transcontinental railroad

4. Railroads were instruments of tremendous technological, industrial, economic, social, and ecological change

5. It would be naïve to focus on the benefits of the railroads while ignoring their costs.
Or vice versa

6. The Dream Union Pacific Central Pacific
Start in Omaha, Nebraska (actually Council Bluffs) and head west
Central Pacific
Start in Sacramento, California and head east

7. Motivating Factors Manifest Destiny Gold Rush
Need for communication and protection of California

8. The Leader
Grenville Dodge
Chief engineer and genius of the U.P.

9. The Builders Immigrants
U.P. - Former Union and Confederate soldiers (Irish)
C.P. - Chinese

10. Problems / Solutions C.P. – Problem - heavy snow
solution – snow sheds ($2 million)
U.P. – Problem – lack of strong wood
Solution – use cotton wood and replace later

11. The End
Promontory Point, Utah
May 10, 1869
Golden spike driven

12. Results Huge consumption of lumber
Abuse of immigrants (especially Chinese)
Forest fires began with sparks from locomotives
Impact on wildlife (buffalo)

13. “But a choice made is made, it cannot be changed
“But a choice made is made, it cannot be changed. Things happened as they happened. It is possible to imagine all kinds of different routes across the continent, or a better way for the government to help private industry, or maybe have the government build it and own it. But those things didn’t happen, and what did take place is grand. So we admire those who did it – even if they were far from perfect – for what they were and what they accomplished and how much each of us owes them.”
Stephen Ambrose,

14. Overhead transparency maps
U.S. Railroads
Overhead transparency maps

15. Financing
Govt. Grants (large areas of land set aside for R.R. use) 131 million acres worth about $123 million
Govt. Loans ($65 million)
In return the RR carried govt. troops, military freight and U.S. mail at a discounted rate

16. Problems Lines paralleled each other
Speculators sold R.R. like toys / greedy (Jay Gould)
Competition severe/ managers fought for traffic (became ruthless)
Failure to cooperate led to “gobbling up” of competitors

17. Railroad Effects
Dramatically affected economic and social life in America
Direct routes
Speed (50 miles a day by stage, 50 mph RR)
Safety
Comfort
Dependable
Year round service
Big business (mass production_
Time-zones
Larger volume of traffic