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How Did The Transcontinental Railroad Affect Native Americans

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During the late 1800’s, many settlers were expanding to the West and the Transcontinental Railroad helped them move from the East to the West. Some wanted to gain 160 free acres of land known as the Homestead Act. The Transcontinental Railroad connected the East and the West. The Union Pacific Railroad and Central Pacific Railroad were the companies that built the Transcontinental Railroad; however, the companies were run by greedy men and felt no guilt as they asked the government to pass special bills for them. The railroad cut through many lands and affected the Native Americans in a perilously way. Furthermore, many resources, such as buffalo were slaughtered and were almost made extinct, and Native Americans lost their land to American settlers, as well as these resources.Therefore, the Transcontinental …show more content…

The Transcontinental Railroad slaughtered buffaloes, which were an important resource to Native Americans. According to document’s 6 context it states, “The building of the railroad impacted more than just people. Railroads would run over buffalo and even encourage fights among the buffalo.” This demonstrates that the Transcontinental Railroad killed humans and animals. Additionally, the railroad brought many sport hunters who killed the buffaloes for fun. Native Americans used the buffaloes for shelter, war supplies and clothing. Furthermore, the buffaloes were used for 52 ways for …show more content…

In other words, Native Americans lost their land due to settlers brought by the Transcontinental Railroad. Therefore, they may be forced to move and many may die due to harsh conditions. Furthermore, many buffaloes were deceased due to the Transcontinental Railroad and the Native Americans deeply depended on the buffaloes in order to survive. The buffaloes were an important resource for the Native

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The destruction of natural resources included those that were a staple to the Native American diets. Their diet included buffalo, which were almost placed into extinction since the Americans killed the animals for fun most of the time. This action le to the deaths of many tribes from malnutrition (education-portal.com/academy/lesson/transcontinental-railroad). The tribe became frustrated with the whites, so as a result they began to attack and kill the Irish

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After the Civil War ended many people were in hope of finding land since population was increasing. Since the West was underdeveloped and uncivilized, many decided to expand the land. First the Louisiana Purchase increased the opportunity of expansion. Then industrialization and the Homestead Act also caused many companies encouraged to move West due to the low cost of land and that the transportation was provided through the railroads. In order to complete such goals, something had to be done with the Natives since it conflicted with their home area.

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Indians were removed from their homeland and killed. This was directly attributed to the Lewis and Clark expedition which spurred the movement. Although it most likely was not the intentions of the group, their effects on Westward Expansion was the beginning to an end for Native Americans, and has left impressions on history that are still present

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In P. Neimark, & P. Rhoades Mott (Eds.), The Environmental Debate: A Documentary History (2nd ed.). Amenia, NY: Grey House Publishing. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.apus.edu/login?url=http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/ghed/railroads_and_westward_expansion/0?institutionId=8703 Railroad History Time Line 1860. (n.d.). Retrieved July 22, 2017, from

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Transcontinential Railroad had a huge impact on the Native Ameriacans, Society and the Environment. Here is one example of how the Native Americans were impacted: Some of the hardships they faced were very little food, only ate once during their working hours. They worked long hours for very little money, and they had ages 10 and up working. Transcontinential Railroad helped the society grow with the transportation it provided. It replaced wagon trains of previous decades which became usless.

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This controversy’s source was the very same railroad that impacted the West in many beneficial ways. There are always negatives and positives when a transformation occurs. The westward expansion of the transcontinental railroad is a prime example. It has impacted the land in multiple ways, and helped to form the thriving economy that makes up the area

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The railroad was a large part of the buffalo

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Therefore, railroad has been brought in America. “The first trains began to run in America in the 1830s along the East Coast. By the 1840s, the nation's railway networks extended throughout the East, South, and Midwest, and the idea of building a railroad across the nation to the Pacific gained momentum. ”(Brief History) The transcontinental impacted the lifestyle of people.

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The 1800s was a time of despair and hardships for Native Americans because they were constantly having to fight for their rights. On the other hand, in this time period the U.S. government created some phenomenal inventions. In 1862, the U.S. granted permission to railroad companies allowing them to build the transcontinental railroad. The railroad linked the country together economically, for trains would carry over goods that were made in eastern factories and bring them out west. Many citizens were attracted to the railroad because of this, causing an enormous amount of settlers to wander out west onto Native American land.

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The loss of the buffalo had a major effect on Native Americans. Great Plains tribes such as the pawnee depended on the buffalo. When some buffalo were killed, these tribes lost an important source of food. They also lost a special part their culture. My opinion is pawnee and railroad passengers did to buffalo was wrong because killing

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