Railroad History
What act did President Lincoln sign in 1862?
the Pacific Railroad Act
What was used to blast through rock?
black powder
Who mainly built the Central Pacific?
Chinese workers and Irishmen
What was the purpose of the Pacific Railroad Act?
provide money and land for building the railroad?
Where did the Central Pacific start?
Sacramento, California.
What city did the Union Pacific start from?
Omaha, Nebraska?
How long did it take to complete the transcontinental railroad?
more than six years
What were the workers' tools for collecting dirt from areas?
handcarts
How did the railroad help fulfill Manifest Destiny?
connected the east and west coasts, making travel easier
What type of terrain did Central Pacific workers face?
Steep mountain terrain.
Who were some of the workers on the Union Pacific? List 2
Union soldiers, Confederate soldiers, formerly enslaved people, and immigrants
How many miles of track did Union Pacific lay in one day?
six miles
What difficulties did workers face from Native Americans?
being harassed or attacked?
How did building the railroad change the economy in the West?
created new jobs and increased trade
How many miles of track did the Irishmen and Chinese workers lay in less than 12 hours?
10 miles and 56 feet.
What was the main challenge for the Central Pacific?
building bridges and blasting through steep mountains
What was the length of one of the bridges built?
700 feet long and 126 feet high?
What did workers earn per mile through mountains?
$48,000
What did the Pacific Railroad Act provide money for?
construct telegraph lines and build the railroad
Name one effect of the railroad on westward expansion.
Increased settlement and transportation across the country
What is "Manifest Destiny"?
belief that America was destined to stretch across the continent
How much did each company earn per mile of track laid on hills and plateaus?
$32,000?
Who laid 10 miles of track in less than 12 hours?
Irishmen and Chinese workers
Which two companies raced to build the transcontinental railroad?
Union Pacific and Central Pacific?
What was the reward per mile for flat prairie track?
$16,000 per mile.