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How Did The Railroad Have An Impact On The United States During The 19th Century

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In the western United States during the 19th century, the nation was impacted for the better by miners, homesteaders, and railroads. Although all of these different groups of people had an effect on the United States, one group prominently had the most significant impact. Miners, homesteaders, and railroads proved to be beneficial to the growing nation’s development, and railroads were the most effective in opening up the West. Miners were the first group to start transforming the West, making it a vital part of the United States’ economy, and building new towns. In 1849, the California gold rush caused newcomers to pour into the West, fanning out all over in search of valuable ores. Ten years later, Henry Comstock founded the Comstock …show more content…

In 1862, Congress passed the Homestead Act in the Great Plains, which allowed the poor to have a chance to own land. During this time, the Civil War was still in action and more people started moving West. First, the Homestead Act and promotion by railroads brought more farmers into the West, which meant more food for the growing population of America and the cultivation of the West. Although this was helpful for the nation, it was less effective than the railroads for the selling of crops because farmers could have a bad harvest or not be able to get crops to the market on time. Next, farmers formed the Populist Party, which wanted the public ownership of railroads and warehouses to control rates, a tax on income instead of property, and an 8 hour workday. The formation of the party was responsible for the change in power in the White House to Republican because most Americans did not empathize with the farmers, so the Populist Party had a small effect. Lastly, immigrants and Americans were recruited by railroads to farm in the West, which led to a more diverse population. These people were supposed to homestead in the West in exchange for free land, but railroads played a larger role than homesteaders in creating more space for immigrants to live, so they had a more significant impact on the US. Overall, homesteaders helped the growing nation develop, formed a new Party, and opened up the United States for

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Amid the invention and introductions to the world in the 1800’s especially in the United States, there was a demand for railroads to make traversing the Country easier. They needed a fast way to transport people and goods all around the country, especially between major cities, a great example of this being accomplished is the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. On account of the demand of railroads, there was also a demand for people to work on and build the railroads throughout the country. Railroad work opened up an abundant amount of jobs all around the country which was positive for the nation, but for the people working it was a very physically intensive job and low paying.

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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.

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Western Expansion Western expansion is the populating of the western part of the United States. This event took place in the mid 1800s to the early 1900s, and it was the western area of the United states expanding to the pacific area of America. This event took place in result of the Manifest destiny, gold rush of 1849, the homestead act, and railroads.

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Throughout American History, revolutions in transportation have affected the American society politically, socially and economically. Soon after the war of 1812, American nationalism increased which leads to a greater emphasis on national issues, the increase in power and prevalence of the national government and a growing sense of the American Identity. Railways, canals, and Turnpikes began to increase making many people employed. The era of 1830-1860 represents a shift from agrarianism to industrialism. Overall, during the transportation revolution, construction of turnpikes, roads, canals, and railroads led to the market economy expansion, an increased population in America and alternations of the physical landscape of America.

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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.

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In a time when America was coming out of the bloodiest war that was ever fought, against themselves, The Civil War, and when America looked overseas for a new frontier with Imperialism. It is in this context that America started to grow westward with farm land and in industry with the million of workers, but America still felt growing pains. Two significant ways in which farmers and industrial workers responded to industrialization in the Gilded Age (1865-1900) were the formation of organizations to protect farmers, and the creation of labor unions and the use of strikes to protect the workers. One significant way in which farmers responded to industrialization in the Gilded Age (1865 - 1900) was the formation of organizations to protect farmers. During Westward Expansion farmers fell victims to the low pricing of the crops.

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During the “Gilded Age” period of American history, development of the Trans-Mississippi west was crucial to fulfilling the American dream of manifest destiny and creating an identity which was distinctly American. Since the west is often associated with rugged pioneers and frontiersmen, there is an overarching idea of hardy American individualism. However, although these settlers were brave and helped to make America into what it is today, they heavily relied on federal support. It would not have been possible for white Americans to settle the Trans-Mississippi west without the US government removing Native Americans from their lands and placing them on reservations, offering land grants and incentives for people to move out west, and the

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The Westward Expansion expand from 1807 to 1910 during that time America changed forever geographically, economically and advanced in technology. The different happenings that occurred during the Westward Expansion defined the land boundaries of the modern day the United States and various happenings and techniques during help make the modern day the United States. If the outcomes of the wars fought during the Expansion were different the modern day the United States could look very different geographically. The railroad made traveling and settling claims easier which increased the population in the west without those settlements other countries could have taken the land from U.S. by settling their citizens there. The government through the Homestead Act help many settlers become land owners and succeed in building towns in the west.

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In a time after the Civil War, when a transcontinental railroad was created connecting the East and West, people began to move and settle across the country, creating new urban cities and manufacturing hubs. It was because of the railroad that the Second Industrial Revolution and the Gilded Age took place which rapidly increased the manufacturing of products through the new machines in factories and the spread of ideas by the telegraph and railroad. It was in this context that many farmers, as well, began to move West and experience a loss in the prices of their crops. It is also in this context that many workers were forced to work long, laborious hours with little pay. Farmers responded to industrialization in the Gilded Age by forming organizations such as the Granger movement and the Farmers Alliance as well as creating the Populist Party.

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The U.S had gained a lot of land, or frontiers in the West from Mexico. The land was undeveloped, therefore the U.S had to find a way to develop the land. The U.S would come up with the Homestead Act. The Homestead Acts states that any citizen or anyone planning to become a citizen is eligible to gain 160 acres of land, typically to form farms. The plan was intended to make the people stay in that land and create a

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The California Gold Rush started in 1848 when a man named James Wilson Marshall found gold flakes in the American River near his job site in Colma, California. Marshall and his boss, John Sutter, tried to keep the gold a secret, but word traveled throughout the area. Townspeople began quitting their jobs in hopes the gold would make them rich. Then word spread to people all over America, and they began traveling to California to join the “quest for gold.” By the end of the first year of the Gold Rush, the population of non-native Californians grew by 80,000.

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