The Railroad was the first transportation system that connected the Atlantic to the Pacific coasts of the United States. The Railroad was one of the most technological transportation device in the 19th century and was known as helpful throughout the time for economic benefits. It established the nations economic infrastructure for the future so that they could end the traffic with stagecoach lines and wagon trains. It provided a much quicker and cheaper way of transportation of emigrants and goods. This allowed the railroad, bankers and the government to promote the worldwide migration to attract specific populations for agricultural progress with sales of land grants, and then provided farmers with the transportation of crops.
The workers were mainly from the Union Pacific, consisting of army vets and Irishmen. The Central Pacific was facing a shortage of workers a lot so they relied on Chinese emigrant labors for the construction. The more the railroad would extend out into the West, the more population came with it. It had established a strong system for commerce and trade, resulting in the lack of Indian Territory.The railroad had made it easier for monopoly's to form, some being the biggest scandal of them all, the Credit Mobilier. Durant had come up with the plan to have Credit Mobilier subcontract to do the actual track work. He gained control of the company by buying out one of the employee's. He was charging Union Pacific often twice or more the customary cost for track work, thus paying himself. This was to mire down Union Pacific work. The railroad was known as a very useful economic benefit for the nation and also connected social life or differences to political philosophy's and scandals.
AP Themes:
Economic Transformation: Many land grants along with economic profit from the transportation of goods.
Political: Scandals with giving stocks to political officials from company's creating monopoly's.
Environmental: The places that railroads were being built all had to be based upon the land and the environment.
