Purpose
What was one of the main reasons Canada built the CPR?
To unite Canada from east to west.
From which two directions was the railway built?
East and West.
What is the name of the symbolic final spike driven into the railway?
The Last Spike.
Name a type of good that the railway helped transport more efficiently.
Farm products, minerals, lumber (any one).
What does CPKC stand for?
Canadian Pacific Kansas City.
Which province joined Confederation because of the railway promise?
British Columbia.
Which group of workers faced dangerous mountain conditions?
Chinese workers.
In what year was the “Last Spike” driven?
1885
How did the railway help remote regions?
It opened them up for settlement and trade.
In what year did Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern officially combine?
2023
Which Prime Minister’s “National Policy” supported the construction of the railway?
John A. Macdonald.
What basic materials were laid to make the tracks?
Wooden ties and steel rails.
Where was the Last Spike driven?
Why was shipping over land made much easier by the CPR?
It allowed cheaper and more reliable long-distance transport.
CPKC is the first single‑line railway to link which three countries?
Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
Besides unification, what was another goal of the railway?
Encouraging westward settlement and immigration.
True or False: Construction did not involve blasting through mountains.
False
Who drove in the Last Spike?
Donald A. Smith
Besides goods, what else did the railway promote?
Immigration and westward settlement.
Approximately how many miles of rail does the CPKC network operate?
About 20,000 miles.
What economic purpose did the railway serve?
Facilitating trade and communication across Canada.
Why was western construction especially dangerous?
Because workers had to blast through rock and build tunnels under harsh conditions.
What did the railway completion symbolize for Canada?
National unity and a completed transcontinental link.
How did the railway strengthen Canada politically?
By connecting far‑away regions and reinforcing Canada’s national unity.
How does the CPKC network help businesses in North America?
By providing a faster, more efficient, and continuous rail link between Canada, the U.S., and Mexico.