Links to the East
What is a stagecoach?
A stagecoach is an enclosed wagon pulled by a team of horses.
What is a transcontinental railroad?
The transcontinental railroad was a railroad that crossed the continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
What is a competition?
In business, a competition is a contest between companies to get the most customers or products.
What is an export?
An export is to sell goods to people in other countries.
Who was Yee Fung Cheung?
A Chinese immigrant who came California to look for gold, but instead opened an herb shop. He was a skilled herbalist, or person who uses herbs to treat illnesses.
How might faster mail service improve life for Californians?
Faster mail service might improve life for Californians because people could be informed faster.
How could a railroad help bring the country together?
A railroad help bring the country together by improving the transportation and trade.
Why might people have thought that the railroad would help Sacramento grow?
People might have thought that the railroad would help Sacramento grow because it could bring more people and goods.
How did the gold rush affect agriculture in California?
The gold rush affected agriculture in California because the demand for food grew suddenly and farmers became very wealthy.
Who was John Bidwell?
He was a member of the first wagon train to California. He became a successful wheat farmer in the Central Valley
What let John Butterfield to form the Overland Mail Company?
The Overland Mail Act led John Butterfield to form the Overland Mail Company.
How did the Civil War affect the building of the transcontinental railroad?
The Civil War affect the building of the transcontinental railroad because many people were in the war, so there was not a lot of workers.
Why were the Big Four's railroad nicknamed the "Big Octopus"?
The Big Four's railroad was nicknamed the "Big Octopus" because it stretched in different directions.
What was the result of railroad companies raising the price of land for farmers?
a violent disagreement at Mussel Slough
Who was Theodore Judah?
An engineer with a plan for building a transcontinental railroad.
How was the Pony Express able to get mail to California even faster then by earlier services?
The Pony Express able to get mail to California even faster then by earlier services because the mail never stops.
What might the message on the final spike meas?
The message on the final spike means that the railroad united the country.
Who were the Big Four?
Leland Stanford, Collis P. Huntington, Mark Hopkins, and Charles Crocker. They invested in the Transcontinental Railroad and owned the Pacific Railroad Company.
How did the citrus industry in California develop?
The citrus industry in California developed by moving to Riverside and the warm climate in that area made better fruit than in the coastal areas.
Who was Luther Burbank?
A scientist who worked to develop new and better kinds of plants.
What lasting effect did Field hope the telegraph would have on the East and the West?
The lasting effect Field hoped the telegraph would have on the East and the West was that it would unite the country.
What were the challenges faced by immigrants building the railroad?
They had to work fast under dangerous conditions. They also were not paid a fair wage, especially Chinese workers.
Who provided money for the Transcontinental Railroad to be built?
The Big Four investors and the US government.
How did farmers adapt to improve farming in California?
They built canals to irrigate farmland that was too dry. They got oranges from Valencia and Washington so they could grow sweeter oranges year round. They built levees to control flooding.
Who was Samuel B Morse?
the inventor of Morse Code