California

NevadaUtah

Wyoming

Nebraska

Kansas

Oklahoma

Texas

New MexicoArizona

Colorado

South Dakota

North Dakota

Montana

Idaho

Oregon

WashingtonIt is the year 1860

You want to go from

Sacramento, CaliforniaSacramento, California. . Omaha, NebraskaOmaha, Nebraska to

OmahaSacramento

How do you get there?(Click on a mode of transportation)

W E

S

That’s 1,775 miles!

Train Car

Wagon

California

NevadaUtah

Wyoming

Nebraska

Kansas

Oklahoma

Texas

New MexicoArizona

Colorado

South Dakota

North Dakota

Montana

Idaho

Oregon

Washington

OmahaSacramento

YOU GOT IT!YOU GOT IT!

There were no train tracks running west in 1860. Pioneers needed to use a wagon to move west.

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How long would How long would this trip take? this trip take?

5 weeks

5 months

or

(Click to find out)

It’s 18601860. There was nono railroad tracks running from Nebraska to California. Railroads were developed in the eastern states but there were no tracks in the Westno tracks in the West.

Click on button and try another mode of transportation.

It’s 18601860. The first practical automobile was not invented until 1885 by Karl Benz. There were no cars or roads for pioneers to use in 1860.

Click on button and try another mode of transportation.

California

NevadaUtah

Wyoming

Nebraska

Kansas

Oklahoma

Texas

New MexicoArizona

Colorado

South Dakota

North Dakota

Montana

Idaho

Oregon

Washington

OmahaSacramento

W E

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How much will this trip How much will this trip cost?cost?

$100

$1000

or

(Click to find out)

Some expenses:Some expenses: Wagon Oxen Cows Camping material 5 month’s food supply

California

NevadaUtah

Wyoming

Nebraska

Kansas

Oklahoma

Texas

New MexicoArizona

Colorado

South Dakota

North Dakota

Montana

Idaho

Oregon

Washington

Omaha

All right, All right,

The wagon’s The wagon’s loaded…loaded…

The family’s ready…The family’s ready…

Let’s head west…Let’s head west…

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My sister has cholera!

We need to get our wagon across

a river…It’s so hard to go

through these mountains!

We got held up by bandits! They

took everything!Finally made it! 5 months and 14

days later!

Sacramento

Hardships on the Wagon Trip:- Sickness

- Getting across rivers- Dealing with stealing

- Going through mountains

Going by wagon was never cheap, short or easy!Going by wagon was never cheap, short or easy!

So, in 18621862, the USA decided build a railroad that would

connect the East to the West.

Building the First Transcontinental

Railroad

The job was given to two companies

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started building from Sacramento, CaliforniaSacramento, California

started building from Omaha, NebraskaOmaha, Nebraska

First spike: October 26, 1863 First spike: July 10, 1865

Central PacificCentral Pacific Union Pacific Union Pacific

- Chinese immigrants - European immigrants

Who worked on the Railroad?

California

NevadaUtah

Wyoming

Nebraska

Kansas

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New MexicoArizona

Colorado

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Omaha

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Sacramento

Let’s see how the Let’s see how the railroad grew.railroad grew.

A Central Pacific trackA Central Pacific track

A Union Pacific trackA Union Pacific track

Question:Which company put down more tracks?

(Click on one of the companies below )

or

Look carefully at the map. Does the Central Pacific Central Pacific Railroad CompanyRailroad Company have more tracks than the Union Union Pacific Railroad CompanyPacific Railroad Company?

Click on button and look carefully at the map.

Correct!

California

NevadaUtah

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Nebraska

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Omaha

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Sacramento

A Central Pacific trackA Central Pacific track

A Union Pacific trackA Union Pacific track

Remember:

The Union Union Pacific Railroad Pacific Railroad CompanyCompany put down more tracks than the Central Pacific Central Pacific Railroad Railroad CompanyCompany.

Question:Question:

California

NevadaUtah

Wyoming

Nebraska

Kansas

Oklahoma

Texas

New MexicoArizona

Colorado

South Dakota

North Dakota

Montana

Idaho

Oregon

Washington

Omaha

W E

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Sacramento

Promontory Summit

A Central Pacific trackA Central Pacific track

A Union Pacific trackA Union Pacific track

Remember:

Why did the Central Pacific Central Pacific Railroad Company Railroad Company put down less tracks?

Answer:Answer:

The Central Pacific railroad had to tunnel through the Sierra Mountain Range first. The Union Pacific railroad laid tracks on the Plains first.

California

NevadaUtah

Wyoming

Nebraska

Kansas

Oklahoma

Texas

New MexicoArizona

Colorado

South Dakota

North Dakota

Montana

Idaho

Oregon

Washington

Omaha

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Sacramento

Promontory Summit

A Central Pacific trackA Central Pacific track

A Union Pacific trackA Union Pacific track

Remember:

May 10, 1869:May 10, 1869:

The two companies met at Promontory Summit in Utah.

Together, the presidents of both railroad companies drove a golden spike into the railroad at Promontory Summit in Utah, finally connecting the East and the West.

How the Railroad changed Travel

Aspect of Travel

Before Railroad After Railroad

Cost

Speed

Safety

Comfort

How the Railroad changed Travel

Industry Impact

Steel

Lumber

Coal Mining

Impact of the Railroad

All Industries Settlement

Impact of the Railroad