1. Section 20.2 Railroads Transform the nation
Main idea- The railroads tied the nation together, speeded up industrial growth and changed U.S. life forever.

2. Where: Connected the coasts at Promontory, Utah.
Spanning the Nation
What: Transcontinental Railroad- a railroad system that spanned (crossed) the entire continent.
Why: Federal government believed it would help settle the west and develop its economy
Who: Union Pacific and Central Pacific Railroad Companies (composed of Chinese and Irish immigrants, Civil War vets, and former slaves)
Where: Connected the coasts at Promontory, Utah.

3. Changing Time
Solar time- people based time on the position and calculations of the suns travels.
Why was this a problem for keeping a schedule for the train system?
Standard time- Divided the U.S. into 4 time zones (Central, Eastern, Mountain, and Pacific)
American public saw it as a benefit because following schedules had become a part of daily life.

4. Economic and Social Changes
1. linked east and west.
2. Helped settle the west.
3. Weakened Native American hold on the west.
4. Gave people more control over the environment.
The most important idea to remember is that the railroad system helped create modern America.