The Transcontinental Railroad Flashcards
The impacts of the railroad (Settlers & Farmers).
> Farmers could trade with big cities in the North
> Encouraged to European immigration
> Lawlessness increased especially in early rail towns
> Towns along the route grew rapidly
> It made travelling quicker and cheaper, wagon trails no longer the only route
The impacts of the railroad (Plains Indians).
> Plains Indians were moved away form rail routes
> Reduced buffalo numbers by disrupting their herds and bringing hunters to the plains.
> Indian attacks on railroad builders led to conflict with the US Army.
> Allowed even more white settlers to invade plains Indian land
The impacts of the railroad (National Impacts).
> Connected western territories with the eastern states
> Many fell “Manifest Destiny” was achieved
> Increased trade - economic benefits
The impacts of the railroad (Cattle Industry).
> Growth of the cattle industry - cattlemen could now move and sell cattle in big cities
What was the transcontinental Railroad?
They thought building a 2000km railway across the West was too difficult and expensive for any company to take on itself.
So the government took action to support its creation, they split the job between two companies, the union pacific railway and the central pacific railway.
They loaned each company $16,000 for every mile of track built.
The railroad started in California in the west and went to Nebraska in the east this connected the west to big cities in the north.
