What Role Did Railroad Play In Westward Expansion Essay

Following the great explorative successes, some Americans would soon venture westwards which was largely supported by rhetoric, law and the vision of the founding fathers to have a far-reaching territory. As the manufacturing industry rose in New England, the westward expansion was both timely and economically viable. The American settlers were moving rapidly to what is referred to as the Midwest today and this necessitated the development of infrastructure through the development of canals, roads, and railroads. The rapid expansion of infrastructure, more specifically the railroads, would then purge the country into a new era of medicine, manufacture, and agricultural inventions (Neil, 1964). The Midwest became an inspiration that saw the symbolic development of the American identity in the 19th century with development of acting, painting, and writing.

In the time between 1877 and 1920 America saw another significant change to its landscape; this time in the make-up of its inhabitants. With industrialization immigrants increasingly came from Eastern and Southern European countries, Canada, Japan, and even Latin America. By 1910, some 70 percent of the immigrants entering the country were Southern and Eastern Europeans. In fact, in many cities the immigrated population outnumbered the native born citizens. Many states, especially those with meager populations, actively pursued immigrants by offering jobs or land for farming.

(Doc 2). In addition to the increase in population and farming, trade began to make it’s return as well. Looking at the diagram from Document 6, you can see the various trade routes connecting Europe. The regions “had their own agricultural classes” (Doc 6) which would introduce new resources and goods to many, making lives more easier and pleasant.

How did railroads impact America after the Civil War? Throughout history, transportation has helped move people and materials around in civilizations. Transportation has enabled the growth of cities and has further increased the development of complex societies. A method of transportation widely used is the system of railroads; before cars and airplanes became popular, trains dominated passenger and freight services due to their simplicity and business versatility.

National affairs were majorly effected, especially expansion. Funding and grants for railroads went from around thirty-one million acres of land in 1863 to one hundred twenty-nine thousand in 1870. On the other hand the funding for harbors and rivers went from thirty-four thousand dollars in 1862 to around eight million in 1880 (Doc 6). After the transcontinental railroad was built the desire for railroad expansion lessened immensely. As the Civil war concluded the nation needed to rebuild itself more people were employed to create harbors to connect the nation with foreign countries, and the north, south and west even more.

Transcontinental Railroad The first Transcontinental Railroad was a 1,907 mile contiguous railroad line constructed between 1863 and 1869. It linked the country together in more ways than people could have ever imagined. Trains offer an efficient way to move goods over long distances. It impacted many things including the economy, the environment, and the Native Americans.

There was a growth in the output of both agricultural goods and Z goods which led to a surge in rural household incomes. The rise in agricultural output and incomes led to an increase in demand for manufactured goods which was met by an “expanding rural industrial sector utilising labour intensive technology”. Consequently the rural non- agricultural activity grows and leads to better incomes for rural households which in turn increases the demand for agrarian products. In the Meiji period the increase in agricultural income led to the enhancement of health, nutritional and educational levels. “Higher expenditures on food and clothing; and increased use of modern facilities such as medical and dental clinics, trains, bicycles, telegraph and postal systems, electricity, and even entertainment forms such as motion pictures” point to an improving living standard for the overall rural population.

The 1920s was a time of development for America as a whole; the Progressive Era was in full swing due to the rapid American Industrialization and the change in traditional thought processes. Progressive reformers at this point in history were working towards familiarizing the nation with new beliefs, contrary to those of traditional ways of life. The newfound concept of progressivism was perpetuated due to the increase of media throughout the country - it was stated that, “The 1920s was a decade of change, when many Americans owned cars, radios, and telephones for the first time,” (“1920s: A Decade of Change”). The sources of media were expanding, thus the reach of media and news was able to spread nationwide - people from all over the country

In the mid-eighteenth century, North America was home to a diversity of people and different kinds of social organization. North America became home to this because of all the land that was won due to war or surrendering. The land came with people obviously, so the more land that North America gained, the more people came in. As a result, its population continued to grow which lead to a diversity of people and social organizations. Indeed, the increase in population had to do with the diversity in North America, however, religion, political, and the economy did too.

Many families came to America is search of a better life and looking for a better future for themselves and their children. In 20th century, a million new immigrants arrived to America . Families have brought in their own culture and their own believes, influencing the lives of the ordinary Americans in Chicago. Partly because of urban-to rural migration and immigration, in 1920, for the first time in the American history, the vast majority of the people lived in cities of more than 2,2500 citizens.

The United States saw an amazing amount of growth following the civil war. The railroads were absolutely vital to the growth and urbanization of the nation. The American population was growing at breakneck speed to an estimated 76,000,000 by 1900 and still growing. The industry also quadrupled in size, from having a mere 30,000 miles of track to more than 250,000 miles of track also by 1900. The railroad industry was the thread that knitted the country back together and carried people west to urbanize the heartland and the western frontier.

In the origins of the civil war the United Sates was going through social, economic, and territorial changes. The US population was growing exponentially due to its increase of immigration which forced them to move westwards. The northwest territory was the first land created outside of the original states it was also north and west of the Ohio river. In the year 1787 Congress passed a law called the Northwest Land Ordinance which provided a method for the United States to admit new territories and equal representation to the north and the south based on population where every state will send representatives to congress which made the north and south add more states to each of their sides so they could have more representatives on congress

Alex Kuperstein U.S. History The Early American Republic Portfolio The United States changed in so many different ways from 1776 to 1870. This change started off with a population increase because of the immigration enslaves. Changes in transportation were also changing during this time period.

The U.S. was awash in an abundance of natural resources from its newly acquired territories, a growing supply of labor immigrating from Europe, and the migration of emancipated African Americans North and West, an expanding market for manufactured goods, and the availability of capital for investment. The Second Industrial Revolution took local communities and their new products out of the shadow of large regional agricultural based economies which was assisted by new labor forces and production techniques. During the Second Industrial Revolution, innovations in transportation, such as roads, steamboats, the Eerie Canal, and most notably railroads, linked

After the railroad lines had been built out west changes occurred for both the Western and Eastern United States. By 1860 railroads connected nearly every major city and over 80 percent of farms were 5 miles from the railroad. It was easier and faster to transport goods such as; lumber, grain, corn, etc. to the Eastern United States. Farming changed with railroads because farmers could put their products and animals on the trains and make money. Within the first 10 years of completion the railroad had shipped over $50 million in goods.