The First Transcontinental Railroad Essay
On May 10, 1869, one of the most compelling frontiers in the history of transportation transpired. The building of the transcontinental railroad heralded a new era in transportation in the country. Together, Union Pacific and Central Pacific, two rival railroad firms, built the well-known route in just under seven years with the aid of the government. The development of the United States transcontinental railroad played a vital role in the West's urbanization and growth. The driving of the Golden Spike in 1869 marked the end of seven years of construction that employed thousands and cost millions of dollars.
The First Transcontinental Railroad, which united the east and west coasts, opened up a new frontier, enabling traversing the United
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His awe for the construction of a railroad began in 1844 when he returned from a two-year business trip to China. The journey convinced him of the potential impact of a transcontinental railroad across America. His approach centered mostly on trading with China and connecting the two countries to promote increased trade, immigration, and culture. He envisioned that a railroad would serve as a nexus for trade between Asia and Europe, as well as thrusting America into the spotlight. The greatest feature was that he saw tremendous room for human advancement. He …show more content…
Black powder was used for the majority of the railroad’s construction. But with the continuous use of it would take approximately well over a year to blast through the granite. It proved necessary to use nitroglycerin, however, the transport of the substance was banned. Central Pacific officials commissioned biochemist James Howden to develop the chemical on-site in order to comply with the new regulations. By June of 1867, the Central Pacific Railroad Company hastily built through the mountains and became the first company that arrived at Salt lake City first. At the start of 1869, the distance between the two companies was a mere four miles. Former Civil War General and newly elected president Ulysses S. Grant forewarned the two companies that the federal government will withhold their grants and funding if they did not decide on an endpoint. The two companies immediately arranged their meeting area to be Promontory Summit,
Positive And Negative Effects Of The Transcontinental Railroad On Native Americans
412 Words | 2 PagesCompleted in 1869, the Transcontinental Railroad opened new doors for the United States. In order for this to happen though, some had to be closed. Our country was in desperate need on some of these changes, but some we could have lived without. This great connection of the coasts brought with it many positive and negative effects on the Native Americans, society, and the environment.
How Did Judah Build The Central Pacific Railroad
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First Transcontinental Railroad Research Paper
303 Words | 2 PagesThe first transcontinental railroad in the United States was built between 1863 and 1869. It was 1,776 miles long and covered the western half of America from Atlantic and Pacific coasts. In 1869, the transcontinental railroad connected California to Omaha, Nebraska and eastern cities. By 1900, the railroad track grew from 35,000 miles of track to 167,000 miles, which was more than the total of railroad route in Europe and Russia. Prior to the transcontinental railroad was built, many settlers began to move westward across the United States.
How Did The Transcontinental Railroad Change America
967 Words | 4 PagesCivil engineer Theodore Judah who was located in Sacramento, California began his construction on the west coast and the Union Pacific Railroad began the constructions in 1865 on the east coast in Omaha, Nebraska. The two railroads companies met in Promontory Point, Utah on May 10, 1869, where the tracks were connected with a golden spike. “Construction of the first stage to Nevada cost $14.1 million, and the whole railroad cost $64.6 million (1860 dollars). With a loan of $37 million (1860 dollars) and 5.5 million acres granted to the railroad companies, it was the largest project supported by the federal government in the nineteenth century.” (Duran
How Did The Industrial Revolution Affect The Relationship Between North And South
1407 Words | 6 PagesBaltimore, in 1827, had yet to implement canals and decided to look towards the future with coal powered machines. Out of this came the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad that did not come close to touching the South. Eventually, the transcontinental railroad would be built stretching from the San Francisco on the West coast (Central Pacific) to the Omaha, Nebraska ( Union Pacific) meeting in Promontory, Utah with the golden spike in 1869. In the upcoming war the lack of transportation and connectivity of the South would be a great hindrance.
Transcontinental Railroad Thesis
383 Words | 2 PagesThe Transcontinental Railroad The completion of the first Transcontinental Railroad was an important event in the United States history. There were many challenges in building it, but after it was finished, it connected the East Coast of the United States to the West Coast. The railroad took three whole years to build, with the help of two railroad companies and thousands of other hired workers.
How Did The Transcontinental Railroad Affect The Economy
1010 Words | 5 PagesThe editors of the website, “History.com”, said “ In addition to transporting western food crops and raw materials to East Coast markets and manufactured goods from East Coast cities to the West Coast, the railroad also facilitated international trade…the U.S. by the 1890s had the most powerful economy on the planet” (para 3). Being able to transport goods from coast to coast brought new opportunities, and companies began to gain more profit as a result of more products being sold. The economy went from a generally limited location on the east coast to creating industries across the nation. The railroad created a production boom because industries in the eastern U.S. had to create the supplies necessary to build the railroad as well as creating the opportunity for industries to expand to the
Union Pacific Railroad Essay
1378 Words | 6 PagesBoth cities now had a connection to the transcontinental
Transcontinental Railroad Thesis
776 Words | 4 PagesMarshall Lasater Mr. L Military History P6 1/27/23 Transcontinental Railroad Imagine a railroad that stretches across half of the nation. The Transcontinental Railroad was an immensely important development in American history. It connected the east and west coasts of the United States, allowing for faster transportation of goods and people across the country. The railroad also opened up new economic opportunities for businesses that could now easily move their products to far-away markets, leading to a period of unprecedented industrial growth in America during this time.
Pacific Railroad Essay Outline
1386 Words | 6 PagesIn 1800, more than two-thirds of the American people lived on the east coast and had no contact with anyone in the West. However, the development of transportation routes over land led to a huge population boom in the West. By 1845, more than half of the United States population were living in the West (washingtonpost.com). The introduction of railroads essentially solved all the transportation problems that the United States had by connecting the east coast to the west
Transcontinental Railroad Research Paper Outline
1080 Words | 5 PagesTranscontinental Railroad Tera Richardson, 4336787 History 102 B008 Sum 17 Professor Traci Sumner American Military University July 22, 2017 Abstract The transcontinental railroad was one of the biggest advocates for the industrial economy and westward expansion. The railroads could transfer goods and people across the country with ease, and quickly. While some bad came from this miraculous progression, such as the panic of 1873 and a yellow fever epidemic, the good outweighed the bad as it enabled the United States to fulfill its Manifest Destiny through westward expansion.
California Gold Rush Essay
1994 Words | 8 PagesAn engineer by the name of Theodore Judah began looking for investors to help him begin building the railroad that would stretch all the way to the Pacific Ocean. After finding investors from Sacramento, California, he created the Central Pacific Railroad Company. After forming the company, Judah went to Washington in search of Congressional approval for the daunting task of building what is now known as the Transcontinental Railroad. He gets approval from not only Congress but also from President Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln signed the Pacific Railroad Act, meaning the government would assist the Central Pacific Railroad Company on its building journey.
Mexican American War Research Paper
889 Words | 4 PagesIn between California and the rest of the country were the Great Plains which were not heavily populated so there was no easy way of trade and transportation to the growing western territories. A group of men called the “Big Four” which consisted of Collis Huntington, Leland Stanford, Charles Crocker and Mark Hopkins, decided what the country needed was a transcontinental railroad. Their company, The Central Pacific Railroad company would hire 15,000 Chinese men to work on constructing the railroad due to the fact that they would work for less than the average American. This made transportation cheaper and quicker than ever
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