Chapter 17 Section 1 Mining and Railroads Flashcards
How did mining and railroads draw people to the West?
People seeking jobs and a chance to get rich flooded the West.
Why did Virginia City become a ghost town?
After the Comstock Lode was depleted, people left Virginia City.
How did Virginia City later restore its economy?
It became a tourist attraction.
How did the discovery of gold and silver affect the pattern of western settlement?
People looking for gold had originally settled in California. From there, they spread eastward.
Who was most likely to strike it rich in a boomtown?
business people who supplied the goods and services that miners needed
How do you think the gold and silver rushes affected the transcontinental railroad?
The wealth the rushes promised probably spurred the railroad developers to establish the transcontinental line, to shorten the trip west and quickly transport gold and silver to the East.
Why do you think the government helped fund the creation of new railroads?
Linking the east and west coasts would create more unity in the country, make it easier to ship goods, and bring more people to the West in order to help territories gain statehood.
Why were railroads eager to serve the new mining centers?
They could easily transport gold and silver throughout the country.
Why did boomtowns use vigilante justice?
Boomtowns were growing so rapidly that government-appointed law enforcement was difficult to establish.
How did railroads change the West?
They caused new towns to develop, leading to rapid population growth that helped western territories become states.
In 1865, what region of the United States was considered the western frontier?
all the territory between the Mississippi River and the Pacific Ocean
Explain how the following groups viewed the western frontier: Americans, Spanish settlers, Native Americans.
Americans viewed the frontier as desert that could not support crops but could bring riches through mining. Spanish settlers and Native Americans saw it as their home.
How did the discovery of gold and silver in the West lead to a railroad boom?
Larger numbers of people began heading west to prospect or settle.
What incentives did the government offer to railroad builders to extend railroad lines westward?
grants of land and money
T or F: Vigilante groups in the West were replaced by homesteaders.
False. Vigilante groups were replaced by sheriffs, marshals, and judges.
