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US History: Spiconardi
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Origins In order to connect the newly expanding West with the
rest of the country, the federal government wanted to extend the
railroads To encourage the building of railroads the government
offered 10 sq. miles of land for every mile of track built 10 sq.
miles Loans Public land for that actual track routes Why would the
government want a connected rail system so badly? What benefits
would a transcontinental railroad bring America?
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Origins Central Pacific & Union Pacific Leland Stanford won
the right to build the tracks from Sacramento, CA eastward. This
railroad was called the Central Pacific Railroad Dr. Thomas Clark
Durant won the right to build the tracks from Omaha, NE westward
This railroad was called the Union Pacific Railroad
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The Workers The Central PacificThe Union Pacific Used Chinese
workers to build its tracks (80% of work force) Imported over 7,000
men from China Also used African-American laborers Used Irish
construction workers to build its tracks
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The Workers Working Conditions Hazardous Snow storms Avalanches
Cutting through mountains Low pay Chinese railroad workers laying
track in the snow
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Completion (sort of) Dateline: May 10, 1869. Promontory Point,
UT In a ceremony, the two railroad lines were connected by a golden
spike The Transcontinental Railroad was complete Actually railways
connecting Sacramento and Omaha were complete
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Effects of a Transcontinental Rail System Time Development of
standard time zones Government adapted railroad time as the
national time
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Effects of a Transcontinental Rail System Economic growth
Cattle Beef could now be shipped to consumers in the East
Agriculture Farmers could transport their crops to all parts of
America Steel Increase in production due to need for steel rails
Coal production Growth of Municipalities Cities like Los Angeles,
Kansas City, Seattle, Denver, & Omaha become regional
centers