1. p
THE AGE OF THE railroad

2. Objectives Identify the role of the railroad in unifying the country
List positive and negative effects of railroads on the nation’s economy
Summarize reasons for, and outcomes of, the demand for railroad reform

3. The Railroads Span Time and Space
Reliable local transit
Possibility of western expansion
Business
People
Government gave huge land grants and loans to the rail companies

4. The Railroads Span Time and Space
A National Network
Mississippi
1856
Missouri
1859
Central Pacific & Union Pacific meet in Utah
1869
30,000 miles of track at start of civil war
Transcendental Railroad

5. The Railroads Span Time and Space
Romance & Reality
Dreams built on the shoulders of harsh lives of rail workers
Treacherous terrain
Native American attack
Disease
1888
2,000 employees die
20,000 employee injured

6. The Railroads Span Time and Space
Railroad Time
Time Zones
Prof C.F. David divides the earth into 24 time zones in 1869
Eastern
Central
Mountain
Pacific

7. Opportunities and Opportunist
Because of railroads success, may industries grew
Iron
Steel
Coal
Lumber
Glass

8. Opportunities and Opportunist
New Towns and Markets
Promoted trade and interdependence of previously isolated towns
Where able to specialize
Chicago
Stockyards
Minneapolis
Grain
Abilene, KS
Flagstaff, AZ
Denver, CO
Seattle, WA

9. The Grange and the Railroad
Grangers
Railroad Abuses
Farmers organization
Demanded government control of railroad industry
Sale of land to businessmen, not settlers
Fixed prices
Over charging for short hauls

10. The Grange and the Railroad
Granger Law
Interstate Commerce Act
Convinced legislators to pass law to protect the interests of farmers
Mann v. Illinois
State won the right to regulate the railroads
Set the standard for states governments to regulate private industry for public good
Supreme Court ruled
States could not regulate interstate commerce
Interstate Commerce Act
Federal government would supervise railroad activity
Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC)
Faced difficulties
No maximum could be set for rates
1906 finally given power by the president