1. Warm Up – Primary Source Analysis
1) What background knowledge can you list regarding railroads in America? 2) What do you notice about the railroad system in America in 1900?

2. Railroads and America

3. How did Railroads Link the Nation?
Pacific Railway Act was create to connect Omaha to Sacramento
2 companies given right to build- Union Pacific/ Central Pacific
Creation was a race – each mile of track = $$ and land

4. What are Federal Land Grants?
Meant to encourage construction
Gave land to rail companies
Sold land – use $$ for more rails

5. Turn & Talk: 1) What does this map tell us
Turn & Talk: 1) What does this map tell us? 2) Why do you think the blue line laid more track?

6. Irish working on U.P. & Chinese working on C.P.
Both groups were ostracized in cities

7. What kind of challenges did they face
Union Pacific (heading west from Omaha) –
Scorching temps & Natives
Central Pacific (heading east from Sacramento) –
Mountains were in the way

8. Railroads were Big Business
Nation’s 1st big business
Lots of employees, large cost/profit
***1st American industry to have Gov’t Regulation, Labor Unions, Pensions etc.***

9. Why are the railroads so important?
Expansion and Connection
New markets for goods = industrial growth
New industries (Florida tourism)
Travel Time
Time Zones (safety)

10. Who were the Robber Barons?
Wealthy people who took advantage of American government policies
Land grants / Bribery of Congress
Big $$$$
Jay Gould & Cornelius Vanderbilt

12. What was the Credit Mobilier Scandal?
Credit Mobilier construction company created by Union Pacific
They hired & overpaid themselves to build their own railroad
Congress given chance to buy shares of the company below market value
Led to investigation of Congress, losses for investors and distrust of politicians

13. Promontory Point

14. Transcontinental Video
I will be stopping the video to discuss some of the key points so be ready to be called on.
While you are watching:
You need to create an Annotated flowchart highlighting the key events of the film.
A short quiz will follow the exam
****There will be questions from this video on the exam so be sure to watch and pay attention****
E.g.: December 7th 1941 – Japan attacks Pearl Harbor – Leads to US declaring war
December 14th 1941 – Franklin Roosevelt authorizes the arrest of Japanese Nationals – sparks controversy in America