How did the transcontinental railroad impact the geography of the United States?
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The completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad in 1869 had a huge impact on the West. It encouraged further settlement in the West as it made travelling their cheaper and easier. It also encouraged the development of towns along the railroad, as the railroad made the west less isolated. It had a positive effect of the economy as it helped facilitate trade between the east and west of the USA, and between the USA and Asia. Likewise, it encouraged the growth of the cattle industry. Show
The completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad in 1869 had a huge impact on the West. It encouraged further settlement in the West as it made travelling their cheaper and easier. It also encouraged the development of towns along the railroad, as the railroad made the west less isolated. It had a positive effect of the economy as it helped facilitate trade between the east and west of the USA, and between the USA and Asia. Likewise, it encouraged the growth of the cattle industry. The railroad also made homestead life easier. It meant homesteaders felt less isolated as they could visit friends and family from home. Before the railroad, homesteaders would have to travel back via the Oregon Trail! The railroad also gave homesteaders greater access to manufactured goods, as they could be transported easily and quickly across the railway. However, the Transcontinental Railroad had a negative impact on the Plains Indians. They were forced to move away from the railroad despite it running through Indian Territory. The workers often killed buffalo for meat, and the track itself disrupted the Plains Indians buffalo hunting. Because of this, Plains Indians attacked railroad works and this brought them into conflict with the US army. Content Standards NCSS.D2.His.1.3-5. Create and use a chronological sequence of related events to compare developments that happened at the same time. NCSS.D2.His.2.3-5. Compare life in specific historical time periods to life today. NCSS.D2.His.3.3-5. Generate questions about individuals and groups who have shaped significant historical changes and continuities. NCSS.D2.His.4.3-5. Explain why individuals and groups during the same historical period differed in their perspectives. NCSS.D2. His.5.3-5. Explain connections among historical contexts and people’s perspectives at the time. Preparation
Lesson Activities Activity 1. There's a Train a-Comin'To heighten student anticipation for learning about the railroads, share railroad-related poems and songs, or read a book aloud to the class. Carol Hurst's Children's Literature Page offers many terrific suggestions on its Trains Page, including "Death of the Iron Horse," by Paul Goble, which tells of the arrival of the rails from the point of view of the Native Americans. Activity 2. When Is That Train a-Comin'? Where Is It Going?Share with the class an image of an 1881 Through Train Schedule. Give students the chance to review the schedule and make observations. Which cities were connected by the railroad? What information can be ascertained from the schedule? Which cities are served? Give the students a map of the U.S. on which they can indicate the cities being served and the connections between them. A printable map of the 50 states is available through the EDSITEment resource National Geographic Xpeditions. To emphasize the entry of new states into the Union after the growth of the railroads, students could use instead—or additionally, for comparison purposes—a map of the United States in 1880, available through a link from the EDSITEment-reviewed New Perspectives on The West. If desired, compare the 1880 map to a map from 1900 to demonstrate how many states were admitted to the Union in the interim. If desired, have students compare contemporary train routes with those of 1880:
Activity 3. Because of the Train a-Comin'?The completion of the Transcontinental Railroad led to an era of change for the U.S. Read and discuss with the class the following background on railroads and the West from the EDSITEment-reviewed website American Memory:
It is the student's or group's responsibility to describe the image or document. After it is described, each document should be displayed. When all the images have been revealed, challenge your students to create cause-and-effect connections based on the documents. Explain that railroads brought many changes and that significant change in one aspect of our society often has a "ripple" effect that changes other aspects. Give each group the opportunity to use photos and documents to create cause-and-effect ladders. The connections the students make are hypotheses based on the evidence at hand. An Example of a Cause and Effect Ladder:
Students can show cause and effect using as few as two photos or documents, or as many as they can justify through their explanations. Proceed from one group to the next, as each makes a different cause-and-effect connection. Activity 4. Because of the Train a-Comin'!After the students have created their cause-and-effect ladders, they will work with the Timeline of Events in the West, on the EDSITEment resource New Perspectives on the West, for the 1860s, 1870s and 1880s to look for events that validate student cause-and-effect hypotheses suggested in Activity 3. Divide the class into six groups, each assigned events as shown on the timelines provided. (You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view timelines.) Make sure each group has at least one strong reader. Give the students time to look over the list. Proceed chronologically as each group names one or more events that relate to the building of the Transcontinental Railroad. Students should explain the connection based on the discussion in Activity 3. Further research on any of these events would make a good extension of the lesson. Lesson Extensions
Recommended Resources
Additional ResourcesRecommended reading from American Memory
Recommended reading from Carol Hurst's Children's Literature Page
Recommended reading from Women of the West Museum
What impact did the transcontinental railroad have on the United States?It made commerce possible on a vast scale.
In addition to transporting western food crops and raw materials to East Coast markets and manufactured goods from East Coast cities to the West Coast, the railroad also facilitated international trade.
How did the railroad impact geographic patterns in the US?Transportation, Communication, and the Railroad
Another huge factor affecting the changing geographic patterns of the U.S. was the development of transportation and communication. Telegraphs allowed messages to be relayed over long distances, and railroads allowed goods and people to move faster than ever before.
What are the three major effects of the transcontinental railroad system?Railroads had a significant impact when they were introduced to the American West in the 1870s. Rail access spurred white migration and land occupation, altered the cattle industry, and affected the soil ecosystem.
What were the geographical consequences of building the transcontinental railroad?The transcontinental railroad brought significant changes to Utah's environment. It altered landforms in Echo and Weber Canyons by creating cuts, fills, and tunnels. Additionally, the train engines ignited fires during periods of drought.
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