The Transcontinental Railroad

1. The Transcontinental Railroad Chapter 10: The Territory Prospers

2. Bell Activity No gum in class. Throw it in the garbage before class begins! • Your words are “junction” and “cholera” • Find the word on your green study guide and complete the following information for the word. • Find the definition using a glossary. • Use your own knowledge and experience to complete the rest of the definition. • Where should your backpack be?

3. Does your work look something like this?

4. Does your work look something like this?

5. Does your work look something like this?

6. Does your work look something like this?

7. History Objective – We will be able to describe how the railroad changed life in Utah, and how it affected Utah’s relationship with the nation. Behavior Objective – Work Ethic: Stay on task. Language Objective – We will listen for important details and write them in our notes. Today we will learn about…

9. Connecting a Nation • At the end of the Civil War, the U.S. Congress was looking for ways to bring the nation together. • Utah looked forward to the coming of the railroad, which would greatly increase the speed and convenience of traveling across the country.

10. Race Across the Frontier • The Union Pacific came from the East, starting in Omaha, Nebraska. • The Central Pacific set out from the West, beginning in Sacramento, California. • Most believed that it was only logical for the tracks to meet in Ogden or Salt Lake City.

11. A Difficult Task! • The rugged terrain of the Sierra Nevada Mountains made it much more difficult for the Central Pacific to lay track. • The Union Pacific had a much easier time laying track because they were crossing the mostly flat Great Plains.

12. An Army of Laborers • Most of the workers who lay the tracks were immigrants. • The Union Pacific hired thousands of Irish and immigrants from other countries. • The Central Pacific hired thousands from China. • These immigrants endured dangerous working and harsh living conditions for little pay.

13. Chinese Workers • Like many immigrantstoday, the Chinese railroad workers wanted to come to the United States, earn some money and return to help their families. • 11,000 were hired by the Union Pacific to blast through the Sierras and lay track. • Almost 2,000 died or were critically injured in accidents, avalanches, cholera, or in harsh winters. • Once the railroad was done, some Chinese men stayed in Utah.

14. What do you think? • In the famous photograph of the joining of the rails at Promontory, there is a problem. • The many Chinese workers were not allowed to be part of the photograph. • Why do you think this was the case?

15. Utah Aids in the Work • After finally clearing the Sierra Nevadas, the Central Pacific raced across the Great Basin faster than expected. • The Union Pacific, however, was hindered by the Rocky Mountains. They turned to Brigham Young for help. • Young obtained a $2 million dollar contract to build a railroad bed from Echo Canyon through Weber Canyon.

16. An Economic Boost • Utah men earned money by cutting down trees and selling them to make railroad ties. • The people also earned money selling grain, hay, potatoes, and meat to both companies. • The railroad, however, did not meet in a major city, but at Promontory Summit, just north of the Great Salt Lake.

17. The Railroad Changes Utah • The trains were very important to Utah for several reasons. • Mining • They transported raw materials from mines to manufacturing centers. • After smelting, the raw materials were sent to other places in Utah and cities across the nation. • Agriculture • New markets were opened up to Utah agriculture. • Utah began selling grains, fruit, and beef to other parts of the country.

18. The Railroad Changes Utah Continued • The trains were very important to Utah for several reasons. • Local Businesses • Some local businesses suffered from the coming of the railroad. • Some goods that were brought by the railroad was cheaper than local businesses could sell them for. • Settlers and Tourists • New settlers could now travel to Utah in a few days rather than the three months. • Others came to see what people in Utah looked like, including Mark Twain.

19. How Long Did it Take? • How many days did it take to travel from Nebraska to the Salt Lake Valley.

20. Connecting Utah Towns • The Utah Central Railroad was built to bring the benefits of the trains to other parts of Utah. • By 1870, two passenger trains ran between Ogden and SLC each day. • The Utah Northern Railroad ran from Ogden to Mendon, Logan, and on to Franklin, Idaho.

21. Railroad Towns • Corinne was a train city located near Promontory Summit. • Many residents hoped that this city would be chosen as the junction for new north and south railroads, which would bring prosperity to the town. • Instead Ogden was chosen. • Ogden changed greatly after the railroad came. • New businesses opened, the livestock industry grew, and many new workers came to find jobs in the railroad industry or in support of it. • Utah’s African-American community had its beginning in Ogden and many of these newcomers came to work for their railroad.

22. Connections • These connections, created by the railroad, tied Utah to the rest of the nation. • New attention was focused on the Utah territory, its people, the major religion of the area, and, in particular, on polygamy.

23. Bell Activity No gum in class. Throw it in the garbage before class begins! • Your word is “retire” • Find the word on your green study guide and complete the following information for the word. • Find the definition using a glossary. • Use your own knowledge and experience to complete the rest of the definition. • Where should your backpack be?