The West Mining and the Railroads

Old Time Miner w/pan

Hard Rock Mining

A. Mining 1. Mining Companies Underground mining was too expensive for individuals. 2. Life in a mining town. Boomtowns - busy, rowdy, lawless.

Boomtown - Virginia City, NV

A. Mining 1. Mining Companies Underground mining was too expensive for individuals. 2. Life in a mining town. Boomtowns - busy, rowdy, lawless. Vigilantes - rounded up outlaws, gave them speedy trials and hung 'em

Vigilantes

California Nevada Utah Wyoming Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Texas New Mexico Arizona Colorado South Dakota North Dakota Montana Idaho Oregon Washington It is the year1860 You want to go from Sacramento, California. Omaha, Nebraska Omaha, Nebraska to Omaha Sacramento How do you get there? (Click on a mode of transportation) WE S That’s 1,775 miles! Train Car Wagon

California Nevada Utah Wyoming Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Texas New Mexico Arizona Colorado South Dakota North Dakota Montana Idaho Oregon Washington Omaha Sacramento YOU GOT IT! There were no train tracks running west in Pioneers needed to use a wagon to move west. WE S How long would this trip take? 6 days 4 months or (Click to find out)

1860no no tracks in the West It’s There were no railroad tracks running from Nebraska to California. Railroads were developed in the eastern states but there were no tracks in the West. Click on button and try another mode of transportation.

1860 It’s The first practical automobile was not invented until 1885 by Karl Benz. There were no cars or roads for pioneers to use in Click on button and try another mode of transportation.

California Nevada Utah Wyoming Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Texas New Mexico Arizona Colorado South Dakota North Dakota Montana Idaho Oregon Washington Omaha Sacramento WE S How much will this trip cost? $100 $1000 or (Click to find out) Some expenses: Some expenses: Wagon Oxen Cows Camping material 5 month ’ s food supply

California Nevada Utah Wyoming Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Texas New Mexico Arizona Colorado South Dakota North Dakota Montana Idaho Oregon Washington Omaha All right, The wagon’s loaded… The family’s ready… Let’s head west… WE S My sister has cholera! We need to get our wagon across a river… It’s so hard to go through these mountains! We got held up by bandits! They took everything! Finally made it! 5 months and 14 days later! Sacramento Hardships on the Wagon Trip: - Sickness - Getting across rivers - Dealing with stealing - Going through mountains

Going by wagon was never cheap, short or easy! 1862 So, in 1862, the USA decided to build a railroad that would connect the East to the West.

B. Building the First Transcontinental Railroad The job was given to two companies WE S Sacramento, California started building east from Sacramento, California Omaha, Nebraska started building west from Omaha, Nebraska First spike: October 26, 1863 First spike: July 10, 1865

Central Pacific Union Pacific - Chinese immigrants- European immigrants Who worked on the Railroad?

California Nevada Utah Wyoming Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Texas New Mexico Arizona Colorado South Dakota North Dakota Montana Idaho Oregon Washington Omaha WE S Sacramento Let’s see how the railroad grew. A Central Pacific track A Union Pacific track Question: Which company put down more tracks? (Click on one of the companies below ) or

Central Pacific Railroad Company Union Pacific Railroad Company Look carefully at the map. Does the Central Pacific Railroad Company have more tracks than the Union Pacific Railroad Company? Click on button and look carefully at the map.

Correct! California Nevada Utah Wyoming Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Texas New Mexico Arizona Colorado South Dakota North Dakota Montana Idaho Oregon Washington Omaha WE S Sacramento A Central Pacific track A Union Pacific track Remember: Union Pacific Railroad Company Central Pacific Railroad Company The Union Pacific Railroad Company put down more tracks than the Central Pacific Railroad Company.

Question: California Nevada Utah Wyoming Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Texas New Mexico Arizona Colorado South Dakota North Dakota Montana Idaho Oregon Washington Omaha WE S Sacramento Promontory Summit A Central Pacific track A Union Pacific track Remember: Central Pacific Railroad Company Why did the Central Pacific Railroad Company put down less tracks? Answer: The Central Pacific railroad had to tunnel through the Sierra Mountain Range first. The Union Pacific railroad laid tracks on the Plains first.

California Nevada Utah Wyoming Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Texas New Mexico Arizona Colorado South Dakota North Dakota Montana Idaho Oregon Washington Omaha WE S Sacramento Promontory Summit A Central Pacific track A Union Pacific track Remember: May 10, 1869: The two companies met at Promontory Summit in Utah.

Together, the presidents of both railroad companies drove a golden spike into the railroad at Promontory Summit in Utah, finally connecting the East and the West.

How the Railroad changed Travel

Effects of the Railroad The Indian way of life was destroyed. More whites came west The buffalo were killed Indian land was taken for farming.

Effects of the Railroad It became much easier to get to California (6 days vs. 120 days).

Effects of the Railroad Standardized times zones for train schedules.

Effects of the Railroad More trade between the east and the west.