The Transcontinental railroad
By Sarah
November, 2017
Introduction
The 1800’s was a very important part of people's life. You can’t go straight across the continent. You need the train to go through some of the landscapes. The constructors had the last 5 nails be made out of gold. There were some very important people who helped out. And how it helped and changed others life.
Where does the Train go through?
The Union Pacific Railroad began their construction in Omaha, Nebraska and worked their way west. The Central Pacific Railroad began construction in Sacramento, California and worked their way east. These two tracks meet in Promontory Point and became the Transcontinental Railroad. Before the railroad was finished it went through some well known landscapes of today. This train went through the Sierra Nevada Mountains. How did the train go through the mountains you ask? Well, it was the idea of Theodore Judah, to blast through the mountain and have the train go through the it. This idea gave him the nickname of, “Crazy Judah”. Judah was a very important person who is still remembered today.
What did the Workers do to the Last Nail?
May 10, 1869 a special ceremony was held to nail in the last 5 golden nails of the railroad. Hundreds of people gathered. It didn’t matter if they were poor or wealthy, they could watch the ceremony. Thomas Durant and Leland Stanford tried to nail in the last nail, but missed. It ended up that a normal railroad worker was the one to nail in the last golden spike who is not very important is this information. These were very wealthy men who wanted to help. What was so special about this ceremony? The last spike was been nailed in as a celebration for completing the Transcontinental Railroad. The place of the celebration was Promontory Point, which is located north of Salt Lake City, Utah. It was an occasion of a lot of excitement as a 100 guns were fired once the nail was in. This was a very important time for all who worked on railroad. This ceremony was called the “ the Last Spike”
Who are the Important Remembered People who Helped out?
There are many important and well remembered people who worked on the railroad. One of these men was Theodore Judah. He was civil engineer. He had the idea for the transcontinental railroad. Judah got money from Leland Stanford, who was an investor to begin the company to build the Central Pacific Railroad. Another man, Thomas Durrant, was the leader of the Union Pacific Railroad. That is why these two men were th after judah to hammer in the last spike. There were also over 30,000 workers, many who were Chinese. In 1863, Judah died of yellow fever and never saw what it looked liked complete. 60 years after Judah died a statue was built in Sacramento, California to honor him for his hard work.
How did the railroad improve America?
Now that the railroad was finished it made it possible to travel from New York to San Francisco in 7 days for only 65 dollars. Before the railroad was built the same trip took months to travel and cost 1,000 dollars. Now when people wanted mail, it took a few days instead of weeks that it took before and it was now a lot cheaper. Rich people, who had a desire to explore the “Wild West” in first class travel, could. Immigrants took the train to journey and find a better life in the west. The porters are the men who took care of the passengers on the train. They did things like carry luggage and serve meals. These first porters were called Pullman Porters were all African Americans who were newly freed slaves. Which gave these African Americans jobs.
In conclusion
This train was a very smart and helpful ideas. Some landscapes that have the train go through it. The golden spike was very important to all who lived there. THere are a lot of well remembered people of today. This changed the life to all. You may think that African Americans job, but they thought it was a privilege. Also, it gave them new life and made them feel free from slavery. You may think that it just does not help the slaves. But think again, Do you think it will be
helpful to you if you were a freed slave?
Bibliography
Websites:
Books:
Perritano, John. The Transcontinental Railroad. Children's Press, 2010.
Halpern, Monica. Railroad Fever: Building the Transcontinental Railroad, 1830-1870. National Geographic, 2004.
Fraser, Mary Ann. Ten Mile Day and the Building of the Transcontinental Railroad. H. Holt, 1996.
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