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Miners ranchers and railroads. Chapter 17 section 1 (546-552). Mining brings growth. After the Civil War, many people moved west to work as miners and ranchers. The Comstock Lode was a huge deposit of gold and silver discovered in Nevada in 1859.
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Miners ranchers and railroads Chapter 17 section 1 (546-552)
Mining brings growth • After the Civil War, many people moved west to work as miners and ranchers. • The Comstock Lode was a huge deposit of gold and silver discovered in Nevada in 1859. • Discoveries like this created demand for railroads, which could get these resources to market efficiently. Virginia City NV
boomtowns • Mining created boomtowns, which were communities that grew quickly around newly opened mines. • They usually disappeared when the mine stopped producing ore. Bodie CA
Beef: it’s what's for dinner • Demand for beef in the East increased after the Civil War. • Cattle raised in Texas could be sold at a much greater profit in the East. • The area of the Midwest between Canada and Texas became known as the Cattle Kingdom.
Cattle drives • Before the railroads reached all the way into the west, cattle were moved to market by cattle drives. • Cattle were moved to cities to be shipped on railroads to the East. • The most famous route was the Chisholm Trail, which ran from San Antonio, Texas to Abilene, Kansas.
cowboys • Cowhands, or cowboys moved cattle in drives. • They adapted much of their equipment from the Vaqueros including the western saddle and the use of lariats. • Cowboys could be unruly and sometimes caused disturbances-shootouts were rare.
The transcontinental railroad • As more people moved west, they searched for ways to improve communication and transportation. • Many wanted to build a Transcontinental Railroad to connect East and West by rail. • The government passed the Pacific Railroad Acts of 1862 and 1864. • The acts gave the railroad companies huge loans and land grants that could be sold to raise money for construction.
The great race • Two companies, the Central Pacific Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad led the race to build the railroad.
The central pacific • Began building East from Sacramento CA in 1863. • Partly owned by Leland Stanford • Chinese laborers made up 85% of the workforce-they could make much more money here than in China. • Faced difficult conditions in the Sierra Nevada and in Nevada.
The central pacific • The railroad was built through Donner Pass, a difficult passage through the Sierra Nevada. • Chinese laborers were given the most dangerous jobs, such as blasting rock. • Crews had to endure harsh winters, sometimes snow would be up to 60 feet deep. • It took the CP 4 years to lay 115 miles of track.
The union pacific • Began building West from Omaha in 1863. • Building the railroad through the plains was easier than the mountains but winters were still harsh. • The UP hired many Irish immigrants. • They were pressured to build quickly, sometimes laying 250 miles of track in 6 months.
The golden spike • The Union Pacific and Central Pacific finally joined on May 10th 1869 at Promontory, Utah. • The rails were completed with a ceremonial golden spike. • The news was transmitted by telegraph instantly across the country.
Results of the railroad • Railroad companies provided better transportation for people and goods. • As a result, railroad companies became very powerful corporations. • Companies built more and more lines that interconnected. • In 1865, there were 36,000 miles of track in the U.S. By 1890, there were approximately 200,000.
