Before the Spike
The Central Pacific started building east from this city.
What is Sacramento, California?
The railroad shortened travel time across the U.S. from months to about this many days.
What is 7-10 days?
This tool was essential for spiking rails to wooden ties.
What is a spike maul?
The completion of the railroad accelerated the displacement of these people
Who are Native Americans?
This famous U.S. president did not attend but supported the railroad's construction.
Who is Abraham Lincoln?
: The Union Pacific began construction west from this Nebraska city
What is Omaha?
The completion of the railroad boosted westward expansion and this ideology.
What is Manifest Destiny?
Rails were laid on these, made from timber and spaced evenly.
What are railroad ties (or sleepers)?
Despite their crucial role, Chinese workers were excluded from this ceremony.
What is the Golden Spike ceremony?
This number of ceremonial spikes were actually used in 1869.
What is four?
This act of Congress helped fund the railroad’s construction.
What is the Pacific Railway Act?
After 1869, Promontory became less significant due to a new route through this city.
What is Ogden, Utah?
These cars were used to transport railroad construction materials.
🟢 What are flatcars?
Many early workers were paid in this instead of cash.
What are company scrip or goods?
These insects swarmed the site during the original ceremony.
What are grasshoppers (or crickets)?
(DAILY DOUBLE): These steep and snowy mountains posed major obstacles to the Central Pacific.
What are the Sierra Nevada Mountains?
In 1942, the U.S. government removed the tracks at Promontory for this reason.
What is World War II scrap metal needs?
The Jupiter and No. 119 locomotives were powered by this fue
What is wood (for Jupiter) and coal (for No. 119)?
Women played support roles in camps, often working as this.
What are cooks, laundresses, or nurses?
You can visit the site today and watch these perform live during summer.
What are steam locomotive reenactments?
This labor group was crucial to the Central Pacific's success, despite poor working conditions.
Who were Chinese railroad workers?
The completion was telegraphed to the nation using this Morse-coded word.
What is "DONE"?
DAILY DOUBLE): These mechanical arms reversed the direction of early steam locomotives.
This laborer’s journal is one of the few firsthand Chinese perspectives
Who is unknown or undocumented (trick question)?
A famous photo shows workers celebrating while doing this
What is shaking hands across the track (or raising hats in cheer)?