The Mining and Railroad Boom: Transforming the American West
The American West underwent significant transformation during the 19th century due to the mining and railroad industries. As settlers moved westward, they encountered the harsh realities of the Great Plains, leading to the designation of this area as the Great American Desert. The establishment of boomtowns, driven by mining fortunes and the expansion of the transcontinental railroad, fueled economic growth. However, the rise of these towns was often fleeting, resulting in a cycle of boom and bust. Understanding the economic impacts of entrepreneurs like Carnegie and Rockefeller is crucial to grasping this era.
The Mining and Railroad Boom: Transforming the American West
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Presentation Transcript
13-1: Mining & Railroads People seeking jobs and a chance to get rich flooded the West.
Anticipatory Set Moving west, settlers first crossed the Great Plains. There was little rainfall and very few trees. Thinking that crops could not grow there, settlers called the area the Great American Desert. How did railroad builders and miners make the West a vital part of the nation’s economy?
California Standards • Standard 8.12.3: Explain how states and the federal government encouraged business expansion through tariffs, banking, land grants, and subsidies. • Standard 8.12.4: Discuss entrepreneurs, industrialists, and bankers in politics, commerce, and industry (e.g., Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, Leland Stanford).
Input • vigilante: self-appointed law keeper. • subsidy: a grant of land or money. • transcontinental railroad: a railroad line that spanned the continent.
Research Main Idea & Details Fold 1 paper into 6 sections for notes. Write down the section heading and the main idea. You will fill in the details at the end of the lesson.
Input • Boom and Bust • Settlement of the West often came in a rush, but many boomtowns soon died out. • The Comstock Lode • The Boom Spreads • Boomtown Life • Frontier Justice
Input • Boom and Bust • Settlement of the West often came in a rush, but many boomtowns soon died out. • Safari Montage • The States • Chapter 3: Nevada • Comstock Lode (2:40)
Input • Boom and Bust • Settlement of the West often came in a rush, but many boomtowns soon died out. • Colorado, Dakota, and Nevada organized into territories in 1861. • Arizona and Idaho organized into territories in 1863. • Montana followed in 1864.
Input • The Railroad Boom • Backed by federal aid, railroad companies had laid tracks from coast to coast by 1869.
Input • Boom and Bust • Settlement of the West often came in a rush, but many boomtowns soon died out. • Safari Montage • The West: The Grandest Enterprise Under God • A Grand Anvil Chorus: A Railroad Across the Continent (6 min 41 sec)
Input • Boom and Bust • Settlement of the West often came in a rush, but many boomtowns soon died out. • Rapid population growth allowed several new states to gain admission to the U.S. • Nevada in 1864 • Colorado in 1876 • North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Washington in 1889 • Idaho and Wyoming in 1890
Research INDEPENDENT WORK Read pages 452-455 in the History textbook. Take more detailed notes based on the “big idea” concepts just introduced.
HOMEWORK CONNECTION • Complete 13-1Section Quiz • Write a detailed SUMMARY of the section and complete the UNANSWERED QUESTIONS section of your notes. • Choose two of the remaining Depth & Complexity ICONS in your notes and explain how they relate to this section.
