Transcontinental Railroad Expansion

The Western expansion of the United States from 1860-1890 was a domino effect. Numerous factors came in to play which built upon themselves to cause America to grow and move west, but the biggest factor was the transcontinental railroad. As the railroads were put in, lands improved, trade increased, cities grew and territories became states. With every passing decade, clear growth could be seen in all aspects of life. The railroad took seven years to build between two different companies, but it opened up endless opportunities and room for growth for the United States. Up until this point most major cities had to be placed near water which was one of the main forms of moving people and good place to place. The United States had hit the ground running with the railroad system and was growing into a leader in world trade and commerce.
The transcontinental railroad meant significant economic growth. For the first time in American history, the railway expanded from one coast to the other. It was officially completed on May 10th, 1869 and covered 1, 776 miles. The railroad system would allow for people, crops, coal, lumber, furs and manufactured goods to be transported across the United States in a matter of a couple of days instead of weeks or months (History.net). As stated by Henretta, “Unlike canals or
The railway was able to not only build new towns, but also build new cities. Cities along the railway became a hub for trade and commerce. The cities in which the railroads would stop continued to grow tremendously. This then brought on the Industrial Revolution. Cities now had access not only to their local people and merchants, but they now were able to meet and sell goods to people from across the United States. These goods and people brought in were able to build factories and produce more manufactured goods than ever before. The jobs were endless. The possibilities were