Alex Mann, Per. 1
Questions:
- Why was a transcontinental railroad necessary?
- Where was the transcontinental railroad located?
- Where did they finish this railroad?
- Who helped build the transcontinental railroad?
- What obstacles did they have to overcome?
- What effects did this railroad have on the nation?
- Were there any positve/negative effects?
Answers:
- The transcontinental railroad was necesssary because before it was created, the journey to the West was a long, expensive, treacherous,
tidious, back-breaking, and out right boring 19 day trip.
- The transcontinental railroad sarted in Omaha, Nebraska, and travels west to California.
- Construction of the transcontinental railroad was completed at Promontory Point, have way between Nebraska and Calafornia.
- To build the railroad, Central Pacific started in California, and headed east to Promontory Point were they would meet up with Union Pacific which building west from Omaha Nebrasksa.
- There were many obstacles the two companies had to overcome, including everything from vast desserts, to avalanches, the Rocky Mountains, and Indians. In the vast desserts, many people suffered from dehydration. In the mountains, avalanches killed workers and delaid trains. The constant attacks from Indians was a threat to the railroad crew, as well.
- The transcontinental railroad had many effects on the nation. Since the government paid for the railroad, taxes were most likely raised during construction, and also Western land was sold to raise money.
- One major effect was that the transcontinental railroad helped settle the Western states, Although the process broke many treaties with the Native Americans, and as a result, they were constantly fighting against the railroad. All-in-all, the effects are about neutral.
