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How Did The Transcontinental Railroad Affect Native Americans

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An Indian Removal Act was signed into law by president Andrew Jackson in 1830, it authorized the president to grant unsettled lands in the West in exchange for Indian lands within the state borders. Some Indian tribes accepted and followed the relocation policy peacefully, but many resisted. During the period after the Civil War, millions of people moved from farms and cities in the East and Midwest, and immigrated from European and Asian countries, to the cheap land and fields with gold and riches in the West to improve their lives with a greater possibility of success. The completion of transcontinental railroads to the west after the Civil War opened up vast areas of the West for settlements and economic development. This huge westward movement, which was a result of the Civil War and Reconstruction, affected the Native Americans catastrophically. In general, the Native Americans could not hold control to their future because they do not have enough power and authority to control factors such as the westward expansion, the overwhelming population …show more content…

It began the task of constructing a transcontinental railroad that would link the United States from the East Coast to the West Coast. "In the meantime, construction of several important railroads is being carried forward with energy." People would not have to travel months in long wagon trains on a trip to the west. The transcontinental railroad was a significant development and it improved transportation, people could travel in a faster, safer, and cheaper way by train. Mail, supplies, trade goods, and other additional things could be shipped across the country and arrive in just a few days. The central route of the railroad began in Omaha, Nebraska, and ended up in Sacramento, California. By completing the railroad, more people were allowed to move and settle in other places, and it promoted the Western

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