Negative and Positive Impact of the Transcontinental Railroad
Negative and Positive Impact of the Transcontinental Railroad
Jeff Neukirch
History 101 American History to 1877
Dr. Kimberly Weathers
26 June 2012
The Impacts of the Transcontinental Railroad On May 10, 1869 as the “Last Spike” struck by Leland Stanford now connected the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads across the United States at Promontory Summit in the Utah Territory. The transcontinental railroads now complete and America is now destined to move to the forefront of the world’s stage. This new railroad system encouraged the growth of American businesses and promoted the development of the nation’s public discourse and intellectual life.1 At the same time, this new railroad affected many people positively and negatively. This multitude of people includes settlers, Native Americans, and immigrants who mainly live in the central and western United States. The railroad created some much-needed jobs but at the same time, took away people’s homes, land, burial sites and allowing more space for others to grow. Good. After the Civil War, the railroads rapidly moved ahead of the frontier line. In the last dozen states, joining the Union the railroad clearly preceded both extensive settlement and admission. At the time of their respective admissions, only one of the dozen states, Nebraska, had substantially less than 1,000 miles of railroad, and the group as a whole could claim approximately 23,000 miles of rail line as the joined the Union. In mid 1865, the Great Plains and Mountain West had only 960 miles of line. In the next half-century this rail mileage was improved nearly a hundredfold to more than 90,000 miles of rail across the continent.2 Undoubtedly, the railroad played a significant role in the last American West. The railroad did more than simply give the West a new look. Trains and tracks out beyond Chicago and St. Louis symbolized development, prosperity, and the promise of the future. 3 For many Americans, railroads and the
Jeff Neukirch
History 101 American History to 1877
Dr. Kimberly Weathers
26 June 2012
The Impacts of the Transcontinental Railroad On May 10, 1869 as the “Last Spike” struck by Leland Stanford now connected the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads across the United States at Promontory Summit in the Utah Territory. The transcontinental railroads now complete and America is now destined to move to the forefront of the world’s stage. This new railroad system encouraged the growth of American businesses and promoted the development of the nation’s public discourse and intellectual life.1 At the same time, this new railroad affected many people positively and negatively. This multitude of people includes settlers, Native Americans, and immigrants who mainly live in the central and western United States. The railroad created some much-needed jobs but at the same time, took away people’s homes, land, burial sites and allowing more space for others to grow. Good. After the Civil War, the railroads rapidly moved ahead of the frontier line. In the last dozen states, joining the Union the railroad clearly preceded both extensive settlement and admission. At the time of their respective admissions, only one of the dozen states, Nebraska, had substantially less than 1,000 miles of railroad, and the group as a whole could claim approximately 23,000 miles of rail line as the joined the Union. In mid 1865, the Great Plains and Mountain West had only 960 miles of line. In the next half-century this rail mileage was improved nearly a hundredfold to more than 90,000 miles of rail across the continent.2 Undoubtedly, the railroad played a significant role in the last American West. The railroad did more than simply give the West a new look. Trains and tracks out beyond Chicago and St. Louis symbolized development, prosperity, and the promise of the future. 3 For many Americans, railroads and the
Bibliography: "When the Country Was United." Time 93, no. 20 (May 16, 1969): 47. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed July 13, 2012). Stover, John F. American Railroads. Electronic Resource: University of Chicago Press, 1997. http://site.ebrary.com/lib/apus/Doc?id=10230056 Ronda, James P. "The West the Railroads Made." American Heritage 58, no. 4 (Summer2008 2008): 44-51. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed July 10, 2012). “The Impact of the Transcontinental Railroad.” Accessed July 12, 2012. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/tcrr-impact/.