America 's History Review Questions

The construction of railroads fueled to a more efficient settlement west. Many of America's major historical events such as the California Gold Rush, Homestead Act, and overall settlement west all had something in common. They were aided by the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. With the west now being part of the United States' economy, many people saw this as an opportunity to move and make money. As a result, many relocated west looking for a new beginning or to strike rich and towns and cities started sprouting along the railways (Transportation History 1800-1900). In 1848, gold was discovered in California starting the California Gold Rush (Huntington). Thousands of people across the entire world started traveling to California hoping to become wealthy. The problem was, out of the thousands that went to California, many of them died along the journey. They needed a fast and safe way to get there. After the completion of the Transcontinental Railway, traveling became considerably quicker and safer. Another way these railways aided the westward expansion was through the Homestead Act of 1862 (Huntington). The United State's Homestead Act offered a free 160-acre lots in the unsettled west. (Huntington). There were some requirements such as having to file a claim, live on the land and also making upgrades to it whether it be by building or dwelling. (Huntington). But, many settlers and merchants needed a faster, more cheap way to get there. In 1869, the Transcontinental Railway was completed greatly assisted in America's westward

Transcontinental railroad building costed a lot and was very risky to require government subsidies. Construction of the railway systems promised that it would create greater unity among the nation and increase economic growth. In the second half of the nineteenth century The screeching iron horse stimulated mining and agriculture especially in the West. The railroads took farmers to their land, took the fruits of their toil to the markets, brought manufactured necessities. Iron monsters could carry enormous amounts of food to people and ensure a livelihood by providing raw materials and markets. Railroad companies would seek settlers to their land that could be sold at a profit so they stimulated immigration. Even the land was impacted because

After America acquired the West, the need for efficient transportation heightened. Ideas circulated about a railroad that would spread across the continent from East to West. Republican congresses ruled for the federal funding of railroad construction, however, all actions were halted for a few years on account of a war. Following the American Civil War of 1861-1865, the race to build transcontinental railroad began in 1866. Lincoln approved Pacific Railway Act of 1862, granting two railroad companies the right to build the first American transcontinental railroad, (Clark 432).

The environment of the west had played a major role in shaping the settlement West of the Mississippi River. As expressed in the map of the land West of the Mississippi, the geography had a significant impact on settlement. This explains the location of Grasslands, Forests, Deserts, and the location of rivers throughout western land. The geography of the land had a direct impact on the Homestead Act of 1862, which gave citizens 160 acres of land in the west as long as they stayed on the land for five years. Due to

For many American settlers, the Great Plains area didn’t spark much interest. But many were beginning to change their minds in the years leading up to the Civil War. As the Continental railroad was beginning to move westward, many were beginning to realize how wrong they were. “Settlers in Kansas found no desert, but millions of acres of fertile soil.”(DOC 1) Many settlers raced to the west to try to snag a plot of land in the west to hopefully start a new chapter in their lives. The transcontinental railroad also helped businesses boom by transporting goods much faster by the railroad. Also, the transcontinental railroad didn’t only transport goods to businesses, it also transported settlers from coast to coast. “After the transcontinental railroad was completed, it cost $150 and took one week. For the first time, U.S. Americans could freely travel from coast to coast. This radically changed both business and pleasure travel.”(How the Transcontinental Railroad Changed America) For many settlers, the transcontinental railroad was revolutionizing transportation. From delivering goods, to transporting people across the coast. We can all agree the transcontinental railroad

The Transcontinental railroad impacted America most economically due to the fact that it encouraged trading among the states. With the railroad up, states now had a faster way of getting their products in and out. People could get materials not native to where they were living in a matter of days by rail instead of weeks or months by wagon. In document F it states the economical impact that the railroads have had on our imports and exports. Even now we still use the tracks to export and import things like in 2014 the U.S imported 12.3 million tons of metals and exported 100.1 million tons of coal by rail. Since the railroad was very appealing to the American people, more were inclined to ship out their products by rail and by doing so helping the States collect more on taxes and the people with a fast and better way of transport.

1. The colonies saw crime as sin; what was the effect of this? What was the “Benefit of Clergy concept.”

One example of a city that was heavily influenced by the railroad is Lovelock, Nevada. A railroad was built right through the city, at that time a town. The town was settled several years before the railroad was built, but when jobs on the railroad opened up, many Chinese moved into the town to find work. After the railroad was built, the town’s agricultural, mining, and retail industries expanded due to the more efficient move of raw goods to the Northwest (Document D). One could argue that land grants, such as ones similar to those found in document C, had more influence on US politics. However, these land grants allowed for new towns and homes to be built along the rail lines, thus influencing the United States more economically. When these towns were built along the Transcontinental Railroad, the towns were able to ship out goods to the north through means that were close-by, versus having to travel far to ship out goods. This meant that more goods were being produced and moved faster, leading to the expansion of factories, farms, and skilled labor, thus expanding the job market. This is one way that the railroad improved the US

To start, I will explain the purpose of the Transcontinental railroad. In Source #1”Full Steam Ahead The Transcontinental Railroad”, it says “People had been asking for coast-to-coast rail travel for decades. Since the invention of the locomotive in 1825, companies had built many rail lines. These railroads connected eastern cities and seaports,splashing travel times and helping these areas grow. Crossing the country, however was much more difficult. People and trade goods traveled by horse, stagecoach, or wagon train. The trip took months. Not many made the journey.” So the government during the time thought that building a railroad, would help businesses “ sprout up like corn.” According to Source #1 it also says “ Two companies immediately got to work. Railroads already existed that stretched from the East of Omaha, Nebraska. Now, the Union Pacific Railroad began extending the tracks from Omaha out to the West. The Central Pacific Railroad began in Sacramento,California and laid tracks out East. Eventually, the two companies would meet in Promontory, Utah. So, basically the purpose of the railroad was to get people and goods from coast-to-coast.

After the Transcontinental Railroad, a railway that stretched across the entire US, was completed in 1869, there were new opportunities expanding in the West. According to the Homestead Act Document which was written in May of 1862, people could obtain free land when under certain conditions, such as “...who has never borne arms against the United States Government…,” and being an approved citizen of the United States. These people were allowed a certain allotment of land in the west, and all they had to do was move there. This allowed expansion for the US, and it made more room for the massive amounts of immigrants pouring in to the country. The Homestead Act of 1862 created a positive effect on the people coming into the United States, and it helped to expand the territory of the country to potentially develop more towns and opportunities for

Industrial development began with the railroad, with the help of Republican governments, who provided subsidies, loans and tax exemptions to railroad corporations. Over 52,000 miles of railroad were laid all over the nation between 1854 and 1879. Railroads stimulated growth. They required many resources to build, such as coal, wood, glass, rubber, and brass. Most importantly, the railroad connected the country.

The Transcontinental Railroad was one of the most ambitious engineering projects, economic stimulants, and efficient methods of transportation in the early United States. If completed, the United States would be truly be united from east to west. The purpose of this paper is to examine how the Transcontinental Railroad helped develop new opportunities for many aspects of American life.

Transportation was one challenge the railroad fixed. People could now travel and discover the frontier faster. Trade was also increased once the tracks were finished. Many could now take their items to new areas to make trades. Another nuisance that the transcontinental railroad corrected was the communication gap. Settlers were often isolated, so when the railroad was completed other settlers would meet up to chat and help one another out. The last major impact the completion of the transcontinental railroad created was the opportunity for new jobs. Silver mining in Comstock Lode, Nevada and gold mining in the Black Hills created many jobs for settlers. Railroad companies may have helped the United States, but they would capitalize off of the government. These companies did so through the Pacific Railway Acts. The Pacific Railway Acts provided loans and land grants to railroad companies in order to help the companies raise money for the construction of new railroads. In return the government would get discounted rates to send troops and mail. By the end of these acts, “Congress and granted over 131 million acres of land to railroad companies.” (Holt McDougal, 590). The transcontinental railroad had improved many things, but that’s not all this railroad

After the Civil War had ceased, the Republican Party pushed for economic growth. It was around

Arguably the most influential monarch of the Colonial Era, King George the Third reigned England and colonial America from 1760 to 1820. His influence was held mostly over the colony of Massachusetts. He authorized his most influential Prime Minister, George Grenville (1763-1765), to carry out atrocious acts such as the Sugar and Quartering Acts of 1764 and 1765, as well as the unforgettable Stamp Act of 1766. King George III and Grenville are also responsible for the tax left on tea, inevitably leading up to the Boston Tea Party. The colonies of Massachusetts and New York were afflicted most heavily in that these are where the biggest ports and largest trade hubs were located. The colonists became outraged at the unfairness of these Acts, coining the phrase “Taxation without Representation” which is still famous to this day. These Acts are some of the first major steps leading up to the American Revolution, starting with the Sons and Daughters of Liberty, and the beginnings of Independent American government, shown with the Albany Congress in response to the Royal Proclamation of 1763.They mainly influence my future vocation by introducing the dependency upon coffee. This introduced a highly caffeinated drink, which is used to ease ADD and ADHD patients. People may have noticed the change back then, and began searching for other ways to “fix” mentally and otherwise emotionally unstable/challenged people.