THE AGE OF THE RAILROAD

p. 236-240
OBJECTIVES
Identify the role of the railroad in unifying the
country
List positive and negative effects of railroads
on the nations economy
Summarize reasons for, and outcomes of, the
demand for railroad reform
THE RAILROADS SPAN TIME AND SPACE
Reliable local transit
Possibility of western expansion
Business
People
Government gave huge land grants
and loans to the rail companies

THE RAILROADS SPAN TIME AND SPACE
A National Network
Mississippi 1856
Missouri 1859
Central Pacific & Union
Pacific meet in Utah
1869
30,000 miles of track at
start of civil war
Transcendental
Railroad

THE RAILROADS SPAN TIME AND SPACE

Romance & Reality
Dreams built on the shoulders of harsh
lives of rail workers
Treacherous terrain
Native American attack
Disease
1888
2,000 employees die
20,000 employee injured
THE RAILROADS SPAN TIME AND SPACE
Railroad Time
Time Zones
Prof C.F. David divides the earth into 24
time zones in 1869
Eastern
Central
Mountain
Pacific
OPPORTUNITIES AND OPPORTUNIST
Because of railroads success, may industries grew
Iron
Steel
Coal
Lumber
Glass
OPPORTUNITIES AND OPPORTUNIST
New Towns and Markets
Abilene,
KS
Flagstaff,
AZ
Denver,
CO
Seattle,
WA
Promoted trade and interdependence
of previously isolated towns
Where able to specialize
Chicago
Stockyards
Minneapolis
Grain
THE GRANGE AND THE RAILROAD
Grangers
Farmers organization
Demanded government
control of railroad industry
Railroad Abuses
Sale of land to businessmen,
not settlers
Fixed prices
Over charging for short hauls
THE GRANGE AND THE RAILROAD
Granger Law
Convinced legislators to pass law
to protect the interests of farmers
Mann v. Illinois
State won the right to regulate the
railroads
Set the standard for states governments to
regulate private industry for public good
Interstate Commerce Act
Supreme Court ruled
States could not regulate interstate commerce
Interstate Commerce Act
Federal government would supervise railroad activity
Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC)
Faced difficulties
Supreme Court ruled
No maximum could be set for rates
1906 finally given power by the president