1. Industrial Revolution
THE RAILROADS

2. Railroad Industry
The first major business of the U.S. was the railroads.
The railroad industry boomed after the Civil War.
Railroads were also the first businesses to begin consolidation, or combining smaller companies into one larger company.
Consolidation helped eliminate competition in an industry and allowed the business to charge higher rates.

3. RR Critical Thinking
How did railroad expansion lead to industrial growth?
Why was it important for railroads to connect to the West?

4. Cons of the Railroads Pros of the Railroads Transportation Time Zones
Faster
Go places steamboats and horses could not go.
Move goods.
Time Zones
Promoted Trade
Poor working conditions for railroad employees.
Corruption
Credit Mobilier
Selling land grants
Fixed shipping rates

5. Railroad Working Conditions
Blizzards in mountains
Heat in deserts
Angry Native Americans
Rough, Dirty, Dangerous
Gambling, Fighting
Civil War Veterans
Irish immigrants
Miners and farmers
Ex-convicts
Chinese Immigrants (Central Pacific)

6. Transcontinental Railroad
Pacific Railway Act- RR boom began in 1862 with the signing of the act by President Abe Lincoln.
Act led to construction of railroad by two corporations. Union Pacific and Central Pacific
To encourage construction, the government offered land to each company

7. Completion of Trans RR Completed in 4 years
The Central Pacific laid 688 miles of track. The Union Pacific laid 1,086 miles.
May 10, 1869 in Promontory Summit, Utah. The last spikes were hammered in to join the 2 rails.

9. Credit Mobilier
Construction company formed by stockholders of the Union Pacific Railroad.
They charged two or three times what it cost to lay track and pocketed the profits.
Many influential members of the Grant Administration were involved.
$23 million was pocketed in the scam.

10. Impact of Railroads
Railroads provide transportation, link to the west, jobs, and a way to unify the country.
Railroads were full of corruption and abuse by powerful owners and operators.

11. Notebook Activity
Pretend you are a worker on the Transcontinental Railroad. Write a letter to a friend or family member back home describing a day at work.
Pretend you are an employee for one of the major rail companies. Your job is to write an advertisement to recruit workers for your corporation.