The Railroads

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Slide 1

The Railroads

The first transcontinental railroad

The American West

Slide 2

The Building of the Railroads

Built in 1860s

Two companies

Central Pacific Railroad Company

Union Pacific Railroad Company

Met and joined railroad in Promontory, Utah

Date of completion 10 May 1869

By 1893 there were 6 major railroad companies

Slide 3

Why did America need Railroads?

Communication from East to West was not very good

Travelling time from East to West took 6 months +

It would help fulfil ‘Manifest Destiny’

The U.S. needed to keep up with other countries

Trade links with China and Japan

Help to bring law and order to the West

Slide 4

Effect of the Railroads: Quick and easy travel to the West

Previous methods

Wagon Train

Foot

By boat

Pony Express

The railroad turned a 6 month journey into a maximum of 8 days

Slide 5

Effect of the Railroads: Cheap land for people wanting to go West

Once the Railroads were built the Railroad companies had no use for the excess land

Sold land off cheap

Benefitted Homesteaders and Ranchers who came west.

Slide 6

Effect of the Railroads: Destruction of the Indians

Hunters used the Railroad to go west to hunt the buffalo

Hunters were only interested in buffalo skin

1875 southern buffalo herds wiped out

1885 northern buffalo herds wiped out

Indians depended on the buffalo, but now they were gone! 

Slide 7

Effect of the Railroads: Helps develop the Cattle Industry

Cattle were transported by the railroads making it easier to move them from Texas to the East

Cow Towns grew up around these railroad stops

Slide 8

Task

Essay Question:

How important were the railroad and railroad companies in opening up the west?

Step 1: Planning your answer

Step 2: Writing your answer