vus.8a. as the civil war ended it became an initiative to link the nation east to west. (california...
TRANSCRIPT
Westward Movement of Populations
VUS.8a
Completing the Transcontinental Railroad
As the Civil War ended it became an initiative to link the nation east to west. (California Gold)
The federal government gave land grants and loans to private companies to build the railroad.
Building out of Omaha, Nebraska and heading west was the Union Pacific Railroad.• Employed mostly Irish
Building out of the boom town of Sacramento, California and heading east was the Central Pacific Railroad.• Employed mostly Chinese
Both companies met in Ogden, Utah in 1869.
Influences of the Railroad Railroads take over as major
economic business. Economic Growth Stimulated the growth of mining
of natural resources and farming. Created a national economy
where raw materials from the west were shipped and made into consumer goods in the northeast.
Boomtowns Deforestation of northern
woodlands Time management: 4 time zones
to monitor schedules to avoid crashes
The millionaire class
The American Cowboy Outfit
What were each of these pieces of clothing used for?
-Hat-Bandanna-Chaps-Spurs
Famous Cattle Drives
Ending the Long Drive Farmers helped
bring the long drive to an end by introducing barbed wire fencing which stopped the cowboys from herding cattle to the railroads over long distances.
Innovations in Westward Agriculture
What innovations do we have today that our parents or grandparents did not have growing up?
What professions have been changed as a result of technological innovations?
What about innovations in Agriculture?
-July, 1831-Cyrus McCormick invents the Mechanical Reaper-Increased the harvest of grain dramatically which caused larger tracts of land used for farming.-This was an economic breakthrough for farmers because they could sell mass amounts of grain to market.-More and more people migrated west to attain land claims and begin farming.
Homestead Act of 1862 Opening up federal land in the
west to citizens wishing to expand west to attain land.
Three step process:• 1.) Apply for land grant of 160 acres• 2.) For five years, settlers would
have to live on the land and “improve the land” which meant they had to grow crops and build a dwelling (12x14).
• 3.) After five years, the land holder could show proof that they have “improved” the land and would then receive a title for the land.
Many took advantage of this and resold the land for profit after building a 12”x14” structure. The government never specified whether it meant feet or inches.
Large companies hired “families” to apply for large amounts of land in return for profit.