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The Influence Of The Railroad On American Culture

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The railroad has been a part of American culture for more than one hundred years. The ability to transport products is essential to every Americans everyday life. The railroad has always been a fascinating subject, full of childhood memories. It brought quick methods of transport that were previously limited to horses and waterways. The effected ranged from farmers, business owners, to consumers. The railway spread at such a quick speed it may have given a sense of false hope. Without a modern railway, America’s progression and ultimate place in the world would not have been so prominent. The invention of the railway was one of America’s greatest successes. 1.1? The sound of a train brings back memories of childhood. Hot Texas nights would lead to sitting under open windows. The sounds of crickets and the nightly trains in the distance would fill the air. The rails were always good for squashing pennies and making fond memories. A train ride also brought excitement of family reunions, new adventures and beautiful scenery. Family that spent years apart could always …show more content…

The ability to transport products at never before seen speeds brought new consumer goods to market quickly. People were rapidly buying up new products they had only before seen in magazines. With the spread of the transportation industry becoming more prevalent, the products themselves became cheaper and more common. Thus, leading to an industrial boom. The quick expansion of the railroad created an artificial sense of national growth, causing many Americans to have a false sense of security in their ability to prosper. This quick expansion and false sense of security came to a resounding stop as the stock market crashed in 1929 and the 10 year great depression resulted. …. This consumer based market is still in place today. Although products transported today are steal, coal, crude oil, agriculture, and building products. The railway industry is still an important part of American

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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

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3. Despite the initial sentiment of economic historians, the railroad was not an integral part of American economic development after 1860. Even though the railroads were not crucial to economic growth does not negate the fact that the railroads were the first big business in the United States. The railroads benefited from economies of scale, increases in technology and pro-railroad legislation. The miles of track line increased exponentially from 30,000 miles of main line track in 1860 to 254,037 miles by 1916.

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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.

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The development of railroads was perhaps the most significant transportation development of the period. Prior to the Civil War, there were only around 30,000 miles of railroad track in the United States, but by 1900 that number had grown to over 200,000 miles (White,

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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

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The transcontinental railroad improved transportation by increasing supply and demand, and connecting people in the United States. Before the railroad,

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During the time period of 1860 to 1918, numerous new inventions and innovations were introduced into the modern world. Inventions such as typewriters, telephones, electric light bulbs, and radios became essential to the lives of people throughout the industrial world. Additional inventions in the transportation sector, including cars, airplanes, and trains, were developing quickly. Trains especially were viewed as exceedingly influential because they provided useful advantages for present and future generations, notwithstanding the fact that many people were opposed to the formation of such railroads. People were able to appreciate the immediate benefits railroads had to offer along with the long-term advantages for future generations.

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During the period of 1860-1900, there were many factors that helped to promote America’s industrial growth. With railroads increasing commerce, a large supply of necessary resources: coal, iron, and water, help from the supportive government, and a large wave of new immigrants it really was irresistible to not turn into a much more mechanized country. Once the 20th century was upon us, America was one of the greatest industrial nations in the World. Industrialization is what has led this country to be as successful as we know it today. As shown in Document 2, in 1860, there were less than 40,000 miles of railroad track.

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Not knowing anything about the history of railroads, can give one mixed feelings about diving into a reading like this. How is one going to feel, is one going to enjoy it, are some of the many questions that float around in the mind of the reader. The answers to these questions solely depend on the author and what they do to utilize their skills to try and convince or create feelings between the reading and reader. “Railroaded” by Richard White, was a book that was found to be very interesting and really opens eyes to see different views and perspectives on railroads. One can see the advancement of the nation, as only a positive in allowing us to move in a forward direction to better one’s life and future.

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2014, p.295). Next expansion of transportation during these formative years became more important to get “goods that are made from the manufacture and to the customers throughout the North, South and the newly formed West.” (Schultz, K.M. 2014, p.292). expansion of the United States. One of the biggest part of transportation came through the railroad expansion which became the leader in jobs for people by the way of jobs in putting down new rails during this expansion and created even more jobs in other manufacturing industries that provide parts and equipment need in building and expanding the railways through the United States during the years 1865 to 1920’s.

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The building and growth of railroads from 1865 to 1900 played a very crucial role in American society which cannot be underemphasized. Railroads brought about many important happenings that that helped in the development of America and its people, its growth commenced the transportation of goods from one place to another thus it help people carry out business transaction in a quick and reliable way as opposed to what they were accustomed to before the railroads growth which was harder to move goods from one state to another and this caused many inconveniences that resulted to the wastage of time, capital and resources. Furthermore the growth of railroads brought about new dwelling places as people wanted to settle down in places that are connected to the railroads and that made it simpler for people to commute from place to place without wasting much time and this also brought about urbanization as people became many and this contributed to the growth of the economy and develop the country at large because people where now more than ever ready to engage in dealing with each other because

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Without the railroads, development and settling of the West would not have been possible. Although the railroads achieved in

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Before railroads, transportation was slow and relied on things like wagons and canals. But railroads are way faster and more efficient. They could carry a lot more stuff and go way farther in a shorter time. This made it possible to transport raw materials, like coal and iron, to factories where they were needed. It also makes it easier to ship finished products to markets across the country.

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The first way that the economy was impacted was that with the ease and efficiency of the railroads, they created a large demand for goods and labor because they needed a lot of people to help build the railroads and also needed a large quantity of steel for the rails and wood for the railroad ties. Secondly the railroads created a huge national market because of the simplicity of delivering goods from place to place. The railroads helped the people in even the most rural place prosper with the cost efficient transportation of the trains. From 1830 to 1861, the United States laid aproximately 30,000 miles of railroad track, which led to an increase in demand for coal which was used to produce iron for the

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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.

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