RAILROADS TRANSFORM A NATION

Chapter 1-1Grade 8 Social Studies

Knowing what you know now about industrialization…

Give 5 reasons that Railroads are important for industrialization.

Give 5 ways that they promote the growth of large cities.

The first person to give me the mystery answer wins a new car.

The Transcontinental RailroadNebraska to California

Started at both ends and met at Promontory Point, Utah

Helped cities in California grow, shipped goods to the west coast.

The United States gets bigger and smaller at the same time.

1862-1869

Industrialization question?

The ChineseThe Western part of the railroad was built by Chinese immigrants

Prior to railroads, Asian access to the United States was only found on the west Coast

700 miles, more difficult terrain, more mountains.

Use of explosives

http://cprr.org/Museum/Chinese.html

The IrishThe eastern part of the railroad was built by mostly Irish immigrants

Irish, as with African Americans and Chinese are not treated as equal citizens.

Due to differences in religion and culture.

Irish are Catholic, British in America are Protestant

Northern European immigrants from Germany are Protestant, and thus treated more fairly.

Most Irish came to America fleeing the “Great Famine”

The Two Sides Meet#1. Where are the Chinese?

#2. If there are Irish in this picture, do they look like the picture from the previous slide?

What does this tell you about the racial motives of this picture?

The Great PlainsThe “Breadbasket” of the United States

Originally grasslands

Spread over the central part of the United States

Between the Appalachian Mountains and Rocky Mountains

How did the industrial revolution change agriculture?

The Great Plains

Solar TimePrior to the industrial revolution, people relied on the height of the sun in the sky

Each city would have its own time

Watches existed, but obviously the industrial revolution caused them to be more accurate and mass produced.

Standard TimeTime needed to be standardized

Train arrivals and departures change the need for proper time.

For the first time ever, people are moving at a fast enough rate that time needs to be adjusted

Your weeks or month long trip may now only take a few days

Telegraph make transfer of time instantaneous.

FrontierPeople moved west with trains serving as lifelines

Frontier lands could be claimed, they were unowned

Many Native Americans suffered from these advances

Goods could be transported and sold.

Small settlements could become cities.

Do Now!Define all key terms and explain importance (2 sentences)

PG 69: 2, 4, 5, 9