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The Rise of America's Railroads: The Transcontinental Journey and Its Impact

The Pacific Railway Act enabled the construction of the transcontinental railroad, linking the east and west coasts. Builders like Union Pacific and Central Pacific, led by figures like Leland Stanford and Greenville Dodge, employed a diverse workforce, including Chinese laborers, Irish immigrants, and Civil War veterans, to lay the 1,086 miles of track. This monumental project stimulated the economy by boosting demand for materials like steel and coal. Key developments included the establishment of time zones and the notorious Credit Mobilier scandal, highlighting both innovation and corruption in railroad expansion.

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The Rise of America's Railroads: The Transcontinental Journey and Its Impact

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  1. Railroads

  2. Pacific Railway Acttranscontinental Railroad Union Pacific Central Pacific Leland Stanford Hired workers from China Paid $1/day 688 miles of track • Greenville Dodge • Civil War Vets • Ex-convicts • Cooks • Adventurers • Irish Immigrants • 1086 miles of track

  3. Helped the economy • Stimulated the economy • People spent money on steel, coal, timber, and other materials

  4. Cornelius Vanderbilt • Merged 3 small New York railroads to form New York Central • 1871 started building Grand Central Station • 1st direct line from NYC to Chicago

  5. Time Zones • 4 times zones • Eastern • Central • Mountain • Pacific • Federal Government ratified in 1918 • Created to avoid railroad accidents

  6. Robber Barons • People who loot an industry and give nothing back • Land Grants • Railroads sold land to settlers, real estate companies, and other businesses to raise money to build the railroads • Railroad companies were given 120 million acres of public land

  7. Jay Gould Corrupt Railroad owner

  8. Credit Mobiler Scandal • Construction companies set up several stockholders of the Union Pacific Railroad • Sold contracts to themselves and the railroad paid • Millions were made by the investors • Congress was sold shares of stock

  9. James J. Hill • Built the Great Northern Railroad • Offered low fares to people that lived along route • Sent supplies to the west that would go to Asia • Supplies went both ways • Only Railroad to not go bankrupt

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