5. Railroads Flashcards
1
Q
Problems during construction
A
- threat of indians/indian attacks
- seasonal problems
- dangerous mountain conditions
2
Q
Scandals during railroad construction
A
- paid per distance completed so work was done hastily, much of it had to be redone later
- meandering tracks (more mileage = more money)
- credit mobilier (redirecting funds for union pacific to their own company
3
Q
1862 Pacific Railroad Bill
A
Passed by Lincoln, gives permission for workers to build transcontinental
4
Q
Government Incentives (to build railroad)
A
- land grants
- government bonds (subsidies and loans)
- plains: $16000/square mile
- mountains: $48000/square mile
5
Q
Who were the workers?
A
- Union Pacific: Irish immigrants and ex. civil war soldiers
- Central Pacific: 80-90% were Chinese, low pay, dangerous work in mountains
6
Q
Why were the late 1840s a good time to start building the transcontinental?
A
- internal mass market, transportation of goods, connecting east and west as single domestic market
- to develop great desert planes (immigration and resource extraction)
- strategic/military concerns and reinforcements for Indian Wars
7
Q
Where do the 2 transcontinental railways meet?
A
Utah, north of salt lake city
8
Q
Importance/significance of railroads
A
- key to post civil war economic growth
- most important form or transportation until the 1950s
- by 1907, 1/7 of total US investment was in railroads
- at least 4 transcontinental routes by 1883
9
Q
Why is there an expansion in terms of railroads in the late 1800s?
A
- increased steel production (steel prices decrease)
- technological and mechanical advances/innovations facilitate railroad production (steel rails and carriages, air brake, refrigerated car etc.)
- innovations, managerial revolution, new complex hierarchy and bureaucracy, new accounting systems
- pro business government system , government aid made process easier
- entrepreneurs (captains of industry and robber barons)
