How Did Westward Expansion Lead The Road To Success

Working Title: Railroad to Success To be revolutionary you must cause great change and that is exactly what Cornelius Vanderbilt had done. He paved the way for westward expansion. He had a railroad pool with the other railroad owners. Was a major success he was the American dream from rags to riches story. America today would not be the same without westward expansion, the railroad and the American dream. Westward Expansion is the all American story “Cowboys and Indians “is the first thing that comes to mind when people say America and without westward expansions that would have never happened. Without Railroads transporting items and people took thousands of dollars and a weeks upon weeks. “The railroads were the arteries of America” Tom

““Those who labor in the earth,” he wrote, “are the chosen people of God.”” (Roosevelt gtd. “Westward”). This quote explains how important it was to the Americans. Without these transcontinental railroads that Vanderbilt built then westward expansion would’ve never happened. Vanderbilt didn’t start off as a huge money making mogul .Charging as little as 25 cents per round trip, Vanderbilt amassed $1,000 in his first year in business. He found people wanted quality goods for quality prices Vanderbilt spent the money from steam boats to try these new technologies called railroads. “He engineered the consolidation of the New York & Harlem and the Hudson Line” (“Vanderbilt”). He was extremely successful. However who knew how far he would’ve gone if he didn’t believe in himself. The American dream is something special to America it consists of the idea that everyone who lives in America will be successful. A common American dream is to rise from rags to riches and that’s exactly what the commodore did. “After working as a steamship captain, Vanderbilt went into business for himself in the late 1820s, and eventually became one of the country’s largest steamship operators” (“Cornelius”). This explains how Vanderbilt went from a common kid to a big business man. After his success on water he learned about westward expansion and decided to give railroads a try. “Vanderbilt did not own grand homes or give away much of his vast wealth to charitable causes”. This shows how he wished other people would follow his American dream and become