Railroad History
What act did President Lincoln sign in 1862?
the Pacific Railroad Act
What explosive substance did workers use 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.
Where did the Union Pacific start?
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
What belief did many Americans hold about the country’s expansion?
Manifest Destiny
What mode of transportation was common before the railroad?
wagons pulled by horses or oxen
Who were some of the workers on the Union Pacific? List 2
Union soldiers, Confederate soldiers, formerly enslaved people, and immigrants
What was the name of the company who laid six miles of track in one day?
Union Pacific
What type of workers mainly built the Union Pacific Railroad?
Union and Confederate soldiers
What significant ceremony took place on May 10, 1869?
the driving of the golden spike
What was one benefit of building the railroad for workers?
Created more job opportunities
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 role did the government play in the railroad's construction?
funding and making land available