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The construction of the transcontinental railroad was one of the most significant events in the expansion and consolidation of the United States. By connecting the East Coast to the West Coast by rail, the railroad transformed the economy, accelerated settlement, and had devastating consequences for the Plains Indians. This is a key topic in the AQA GCSE History specification.
Before the railroad, travelling from the East Coast to the West Coast of America was slow, dangerous, and expensive. The overland trail took 4–6 months, and the sea route around Cape Horn took even longer.
| Reason for Building | Detail |
|---|---|
| Speed | A rail journey would take days rather than months |
| Economic growth | Would allow the transport of goods, crops, and cattle to eastern markets |
| Settlement | Would encourage people to move west by making the journey easier and safer |
| Political unity | Would bind the vast nation together, especially after the Civil War |
| Military | Would allow the army to move troops quickly to deal with Native American resistance |
| Mail and communication | Would speed up the delivery of mail and news |
Exam Tip: The railroad is a factor that connects to almost every topic in this course — settlement, the cattle industry, the destruction of the buffalo, the Indian Wars. When writing essays, show how the railroad links to other factors.
The Pacific Railroad Act (1862) authorised the construction of the first transcontinental railroad. Two companies were given the task:
| Company | Direction | Starting Point | Workforce |
|---|---|---|---|
| Union Pacific Railroad | Built westward | Omaha, Nebraska | Mainly Irish immigrants and Civil War veterans |
| Central Pacific Railroad | Built eastward | Sacramento, California | Mainly Chinese immigrants (up to 80% of the workforce) |
| Group | Conditions |
|---|---|
| Chinese workers | Paid less than white workers; given the most dangerous jobs (blasting tunnels through the Sierra Nevada with nitroglycerin); many died in avalanches and explosions |
| Irish workers | Faced harsh conditions on the Plains; attacks from Native Americans; disease |
| Both groups | Long hours; extreme heat and cold; low wages; dangerous work |
Exam Tip: The contribution of Chinese workers to the railroad is increasingly highlighted in exam questions. Be ready to discuss their role and the discrimination they faced.
| Economic Impact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cattle industry | Cattle could be transported by rail to eastern markets, making the cattle industry hugely profitable |
| Farming | Crops could be shipped to market quickly; new machinery could be brought to the Plains |
| Mining | Gold and silver could be transported efficiently |
| Industry | Stimulated steel, iron, and coal industries; created thousands of jobs |
| National market | Created a single national market, boosting the US economy enormously |
The railroad had catastrophic consequences for the Plains Indians:
The railroad created "cow towns" and "railroad towns" such as:
| Town | Significance |
|---|---|
| Abilene, Kansas | First major cow town; end of the Chisholm Trail |
| Dodge City, Kansas | Major cattle town; known for lawlessness |
| Promontory Summit, Utah | Where the two railroads met in 1869 |
| Denver, Colorado | Grew rapidly as a railroad hub and mining centre |
The government gave the railroad companies approximately 170 million acres of land — an area larger than Texas. The companies then sold this land to settlers and speculators, funding further construction and encouraging settlement.
Responses at the top AQA level use precise legislative and quantitative detail. The Pacific Railroad Act of 1 July 1862 authorised the Union Pacific to build westward from Omaha and the Central Pacific to build eastward from Sacramento, granting land and 30-year government bonds; the Pacific Railroad Act of 1864 doubled the land grant (to 20 square miles per mile of track) and allowed companies to mortgage their bonds. The two lines met at Promontory Summit, Utah Territory, on 10 May 1869, where Leland Stanford drove a ceremonial golden spike made of 17.6-carat gold. The Central Pacific's workforce was at its peak roughly 90 per cent Chinese, with an estimated 10,000–15,000 Chinese labourers employed; they blasted the summit tunnels through the Sierra Nevada with black powder and, from 1867, nitroglycerin, and endured the winter of 1866–67, one of the harshest on record. Irish and Civil War veteran workers dominated the Union Pacific. The "Big Four" backers of the Central Pacific — Leland Stanford, Collis Huntington, Mark Hopkins, and Charles Crocker — became among the wealthiest men in the United States. Federal land grants to all railroad companies between 1850 and 1871 totalled approximately 170 million acres, an area larger than Texas. The Credit Mobilier scandal, exposed in 1872, revealed massive overcharging and political corruption surrounding Union Pacific construction. By 1890, the United States had around 163,000 miles of track, more than the rest of the world combined. Buffalo numbers, estimated at 30–60 million in 1800, had collapsed to fewer than 1,000 by 1889. William "Buffalo Bill" Cody, supplying Kansas Pacific railroad crews, claimed to have killed 4,282 buffalo in 17 months between 1867 and 1868. General Philip Sheridan reportedly encouraged the slaughter as a means of defeating the Plains Indians.
Question: "The railroad was the most important cause of the settlement of the Plains." How far do you agree? (16 marks)
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