Transcript American West

The American West –
1800’s
The Railroad
RR – Expanding into the
West
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In years after the Civil War, RRs were the largest single
business in the nation!
both state & fed. govts. offered incentives to RR
companies
RRs encouraged settlement by making it easier &
cheaper to move west
RR provided a faster & cheaper way to ship goods
Railway construction increased jobs for immigrants
Transcontinental RR
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Goal: connect the East
to the West
Would improve
communication & allow
travel across the country
Central Pacific + Union
Pacific =
Transcontinental RR
Pacific Railway Acts
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The federal govt. passed these so RR companies
could afford labor & resources; using loans & land
grants
In exchange, the RR companies would carry U.S.
mail & troops (soldiers) at reduced rates.
Labor = Immigrants
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Chinese immigrants made up most of the labor for
Central Pacific (entered through Angel Island)
the other = Irish immigrants for Union Pacific
Why hire them over white Americans?
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Because companies could pay them less
Why did immigrants take the job?
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Because it still paid more than what they could get in their
home country
Problems with the
transcontinental RR
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Mountains – Sierra Nevada in CA; rocky mtns.
Explosives – dynamite (used to break apart the mountain’s
rocks); dangerous to workers (snow drifts & falling rocks)
Weather – Great Plains; ex. Tornadoes
Food – because workers were in remote areas, providing food
& supplies became a problem
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Buffalo Bill – killed 1000’s of buffalo to feed workers
RR Impact in the West
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Population Boom – get more people there
faster & safer
Economic growth – get supplies there faster
Communication – telegraph lines
SUMMARY
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QUIZ TIME
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3OM_Un
nCNM
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1. What was built to connect the east to the
west?
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2. Which group of immigrants was used by the
Central Pacific Railroad Company?
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3. Which group of immigrants was used by the
Union Pacific Railroad Company?
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4. What law created a competition between two
companies to build one big railroad out west?
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5. Name one problem with building the
Transcontinental Railroad.