Railroad Revolution Benefits and Costs

First continental line completed by 1869 Omaha to California The Union Pacific Railroad was commissioned to build a railroad from this city westward Answer: Omaha First continental line completed by 1869 Omaha to California

Answer: Leland Stanford The ex-governor of California was one of the “Big Four” financial backers of the Central Pacific Railroad. Answer: Leland Stanford Ran two construction companies through useful political connections. “Wedding of the Rails”- The West 51:18 Ogden, Utah 1869 Linked West Coast more firmly to the Union

While the Union Pacific Railroad used Irish “Paddies”, the Central Pacific Railroad used _______________ labor because they were cheap, efficient and expendable. Answer: Chinese California Gold along with turmoil in China brought Chinese overseas (Mostly sons) After Gold Rush, many returned to China Others settled near railroad towns, farming villages, and cities (Chinatowns) Horribly mistreated by Americans and other Chinese clans (Tong) Chinese Exclusion Act 1882 barred nearly all Chinese from US for 6 decades.

Name the two significant improvements proved a boon to the railroads Answer: Steel rail and/or Standard Gauges Between years of Civil War to WWI, railroad mileage increased 1000%. In 1886, the South railroads were the last to convert to the common gauge. Massive land grants from federal government to railroads Time Zone adoptions

Slashed rates on competing lines An agreement to divide the business in a given area and share the profits was known as a Answer: “pool” Other rail barons granted secret kickbacks to powerful shippers in return for steady and assured traffic. Slashed rates on competing lines Made smaller customers (farmers) pay the difference

Congress passed this law which required the railroads to publish their rates openly. Answer: Interstate Commerce Act The depression of 1870’s pushed farmers into organizing and pressuring the government for change. Interstate commerce had to be national The Act set up the Interstate Commerce Commission Provide orderly forum to hear conflicts peaceably But it had many loopholes for the railroads to find and take advantage.

Industrial Expansion: Group 1 Transcontinental lines created an enormous domestic market for American raw materials and manufactured goods The railroad spurred American industrialization Changing landscape Oil, steel, expansion of large factories Industry moves westward

Agriculture: Groups 2 and 9 The railroad (Iron Horse) stimulated mining and agriculture…especially in the West Beef Bonanzas Silver Mining Wheat

Cities: Groups 3 and 8 Railways were a boon for cities and migration movement toward cities (urban)

Immigration: Groups 4 and 7 Railroad stimulated immigration Chinese Labor Immigration from South and Eastern Europe

Great Plains: Groups 5 and 6 Changing landscape Killing of Buffalo Collecting land and breaking treaties with Native Americans

Wealth concentration: Group 10 Might over Many Cornelius Vanderbilt Offered superior railway service at lower rates. Cut throat business practices at the expense of public interest Bought and bribed public officials and politicians Built monopolies through “pools”, and rebates