20-1 and 20-2 Flashcards
George Pullman
developed the Pullman sleeping car. It was a fancy railway car that had seats that changed into beds for overnight journeys.
What was railroad track made up of (what material)
They were made of iron until around 1880, when they changed it to steel. Steel is stronger than iron. This helped the steel industry grow.
Describe several railroad laws of the late 19th century
The railroad tracks were all made to be the same size so that all trains could run on the same lines.
What were railroad rebates
railroad companies competed fiercely for who has better prices.
What were railroad pools
railroad barons who made secret agreements and set rates among themselves.
Who were the barons?
barons were powerful business leaders who controlled a major railroad. Cornelius Vanderbilt was one of the first railroad barons. They controlled the nation’s rail traffic. Other barons founded the central pacific.
What geographic area of the U.S. did railroad expansion help the most?
The Railroad expansion help the midwest the most since there were a lot of tracks running through the midwest. It helped farmers transport their goods faster. And helped move people to the west
Identify Wilbur and Orville Wright
They were brothers who owned a bike shop and used their skills to make the first plane that was powered by gasoline.
Describe the invention of the telephone and its impact on American culture. What was Edison’s most important invention?
The telephone helped people communicate without having to travel to see them, it also made people less patient because they could call their friend instantly
Identify Samuel Langley
an american astronomer who built a model airplane powered by a steam engine in 1896.
Identify Henry Ford. Describe Fords assembly line
worked as an engineer in Detroit, Michigan in the 1890s. Other people were inventing cars, but they were expensive. He wanted to build a cheaper car that would last a lifetime. He experimented with a gasoline engine. He started his own company in Detroit in 1903. One of Ford’s first cars was the Model T. The Model T was introduced to the public in 1908. Henry Ford came up with the assembly line. On an assembly line, each worker only performed one task again and again, then passing it onto the next person. It was much more efficient than training one more person to do several tasks. It decreased the manufacturing costs so they could be sold for less.
Identify George Westinghouse -
made air brakes. He built transformers that could send electric power over a long distance. This was cheaper then they way they were doing it now. It became the source of power for everything. Also made a way to safely transport natural gasses.
What was the standard gauge?
4 feet, 8.5 inches, the distance between rails agreed upon by all railroad companies this helped railroad companies cut down time and costs.
Who laid telegraph cable across the Atlantic Ocean?
Cyrus field managed to lay the telegraph across the Atlantic ocean in 1866. This was a big achievement because it took seven tries. It only took a matter of seconds to transport messages rather than a week.
Who invented the typewriter?
Christopher Sholes invented the typewriter in 1868. Allowed people to type out text on paper.
