Moving West

Travel by Rail In 1850, steam-powered ships still provided much of the nation’s transportation. Over the following decades, however, improvements in train and track design, plus the construction of new rail lines, gave railroads a big boost. Travel west would be easier than ever.

The Transcontinental Railroad Project began in 1862 –Pacific Railway Acts Land grants and gov’t loans given to two companies – Union Pacific, & Central Pacific –Central Pacific Began lying track eastward out of Sacramento –Union Pacific Began lying track westward from Omaha Both hired Irish and Chinese immigrants. May 10, 1869 –Two groups met at Promontory Summit in Utah. The Transcontinental RR was complete.

Brainstorming Push and Pull Factors Push Factors? –What is making me want to get out of here? Pull Factors? –What is making me want to go West?

Push Factors West Civil War –Southern Farmers Plantations ruined by Sherman’s March –Slaves “Exodusters” –Try to escape the persecution of Southern Reconstruction policies. Costs –Land in the East was increasingly costly. Ethnic and Religious Oppression –Mormons = Salt Lake City Others?

Pull Factors Wealth –Gold? California –Land speculation People who bought up large sections of land with the goal of selling it later for a profit. Government Help –Pacific Railway Acts Large land grants were given to major RR companies. –Work? –Morrill Land-Grant Act Granted state gov’ts millions of acres of western lands to sell. Profits were to be used for “Land- Grant” colleges specializing in agriculture and mechanical arts. –University of Illinois, –Homestead Act Settlers were given 160 acres of land if they… –Were 21 years old –Built a house and lived there for 6 months a year. –Farmed the land 5 years in a row

The Settlers… Three Groups Settled the “West”: –Miners –Ranchers –Farmers