1. Transcontinental Railroad: The Challenge of Bridging a Continent What key elements affected the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad? By Jennifer Carroll and Marty Garrett Photo Credit: http://www.ambrosevideo.com/resources/docs/173.JPG

2. Rails in the East First rails were laid in the mid 1700’s Better form of transportation Better form of transportation By the mid 1800’s rails were all over the East Coast By the mid 1800’s rails were all over the East Coast Photo Credit: John Spragens, Jr http://www.enigmaterial.com/heartmt/tracks.html.

3. How to Get to California in mid 1800’s? By ship: 4 to 6 months By ship: 4 to 6 months By covered wagon: 3 to 4 months By covered wagon: 3 to 4 months By foot: Too long! By foot: Too long!

4. First Rails in California Theodore Judah was the engineer of the Sacramento Valley Railroad Company Sacramento Valley Railroad Company His work allowed for the first railroad to be completed in 1856 completed in 1856 Photo Credit: http://baytrail.abag.ca.gov/vtour/map3/access/BTAlviso/RRtracks.JPG

5. Contributors to the Rail  Chinese laborers  The Big Four  Theodore Judah  Chinese laborers  The Big Four  Theodore Judah

6. The Challenge of Geography  The Sierra Nevada  The Rocky Mountains  The Great Basin  The Sierra Nevada  The Rocky Mountains  The Great Basin

7. Mid-19th Century United States  Manifest Destiny  Industrial Revolution  Civil War  Manifest Destiny  Industrial Revolution  Civil War