According to Stuart Moulder, “Prior to the last spike being driven in 1869, the only ways to get from coast to coast of the United States were a months long journey by foot, horseback or (very expensive) carriage” (Moulder). This means that the railroad was not only a new way of transportation, but also a new way of life. To put things into perspective, an article
New inventions such as the railroad positively impacted American unity during the Antebellum period. Before the advancements, people who wanted to travel spent months saving up to buy a brittle wagon, with the journey being long and extremely dangerous. The new technology of railroads in the 1820s changed that. Though many would argue that for the people, the cons of these new inventions outweighed the benefits, due to the fact that because of railroads, workers went through poor working conditions with cheap pay. While this may be true, railroads paved the way for different cultures and establishments to spread across the country.
In the late 1800s, the Transcontinental Railroad was constructed and that transformed the United States in many ways. This railroad helped expand the United States out to the west that could sew the country together and be connected in some sort of way. The Transcontinental Railroad impacted the United States economically by populating new areas for agriculture and mining, taxing railway shipping, and by importing and exporting. To start off with, a reason for an economic impact is the way the railroad helped populate new land that can open for mining, agriculture, and retail. Due to being able to mine, farm, and sell more helps the country expand in valuable resources found in the country, while also being able to sell food and clothes the
The transcontinental railroad improved transportation by increasing supply and demand, and connecting people in the United States. Before the railroad,
One major industry during this time period was found in the railroad. The of course was also considered the center of national or both financial and political corruption (White, 21). While transcontinental railroads were essential developments for the growth of the United
The Transcontinental Railroad greatly impacted America. It connected the East to the West and made the world seem much smaller. This success gave way for more railroads to be made, multiple withing the span of just years! The acts and treaties along the way helped improve the land as this move Westward was taking place. People were also gaining more abstract feelings of hope and optimism.
In 1830 the Baltimore and Ohio railroad tested a steam powered train this lead to Americans developing their own railroads.(pg. 256) Railroads helped transport goods and people move across the country faster than ever before. Railroads were used for many other things including transporting mail from one place to another. This helped people communicate with one another faster. By 1810 and 1820’s the number of letters delivered sent out went up by five million annually and cut the time in half to reach between cities and states.
After the railroad lines had been built out west changes occurred for both the Western and Eastern United States. By 1860 railroads connected nearly every major city and over 80 percent of farms were 5 miles from the railroad. It was easier and faster to transport goods such as; lumber, grain, corn, etc. to the Eastern United States. Farming changed with railroads because farmers could put their products and animals on the trains and make money. Within the first 10 years of completion the railroad had shipped over $50 million in goods.
Transcontinental Railroad Tera Richardson, 4336787 History 102 B008 Sum 17 Professor Traci Sumner American Military University July 22, 2017 Abstract The transcontinental railroad was one of the biggest advocates for the industrial economy and westward expansion. The railroads could transfer goods and people across the country with ease, and quickly. While some bad came from this miraculous progression, such as the panic of 1873 and a yellow fever epidemic, the good outweighed the bad as it enabled the United States to fulfill its Manifest Destiny through westward expansion.
Moreover the growth of railroads made it possible for the establishment of business organizations across America because people were much more closer and urbanization played a huge role in making many people and cooperation’s to create and expand their businesses throughout the country making them well known to the public and also help create employment opportunities in the places where businesses where
Business owners made lots of money from the railroads because they were able to transport goods farther and faster with ease. Although the railroads tremendously impacted businesses and therefore the economy, the native americans were negatively impacted because the railroads were being laid on “their” land. This caused distrust between the settlers and the natives because of the “disrespect” for the land. Because of the new ways of transportation, the industrial revolution took place causing skilled artisans to be replaced by unskilled workers that used large complex machines.
(GML 594). The railroad business was one of the leading corporations back in the day. There were other major businesses that were growing and competing against one another in order to control an entire industry. People like John D. Rockefeller (Oil industry), Andrew Carnegie(Steel), and J.P. Morgan(banker) were now three of the wealthiest men
Before trains, many people would have to travel the country by foot or on a carriage, which produced many problems. Trains revolutionized this problem. Trains came with strong engines that produced lots of power and rolled on steel train tracks and could cross the entire US in only eight days. On wagons it would take around half a year with the exception that there were no issues. Trains have also allowed goods to be transported across countries in the simplest and cleanest way possible.
The appearance of the railroad in the early 19th century created a revolution in the transportation for the development of the economy and the society. This invention, eventually, also brought a lot of outcomes as well as disadvantages for the people living near the routes and the stations. First of all, the railroad system increased the carrying capacity and reduced the shipping cost. Not only people near the stations received this benefit but also the rural area where the railroad system reached. “Railroads provided a quick, scheduled, and year-round mode of transportation.
The Tremendous Impact of Railroads on America In the late 19th century, railroads propelled America into an era of unprecedented growth, prosperity, and convenient transportation. Prior to the building of the railroads, America lacked the proper and rapid transportation to make traveling across the country economical or practical. Lengthy travel was often cumbersome, costly, and dangerous.
