U.S. History A.P. The Gilded Age – Part I

1. U.S. History A.P.The Gilded Age – Part I The Growth of American Railroads Photo credit: http://www.twmag.com/images/blogger/exploding_train_engine.gif

2. The first “rail” roads were build in England in the 17th century as a way to reduce friction in moving heavily loaded wheeled vehicles. The first “rail” road was built in America in 1764 . These railroads were aka“gravity roads.” The rail was installed on a downhill slope. Loaded cars traveled down the slope with the force of gravity. Mules returned empty cars up the slope.

3. John Stevens is considered to be the father of American railroads. The first railroad charter in North America was granted to Stevens in 1815.

4. John Stevens locomotive and circular track Photo credit: http://www.twmag.com/images/blogger/exploding_train_engine.gif Photo credit: http://www.voteview.com/rtopic5.htm

5. Early Railroad Problems • difficult and costly to build Early railroads required surveys, maps, planning and expensive construction. Wrought iron rusted, and had to be replaced.

6. Early Railroad Problems • short lines (< 50 miles) leading “nowhere to nothing” • lack of standard gauge • single tracks • constant threat of collision

7. The “DeWitt Clinton” Photo credit: http://www.lakemirabel.com/Railroad/DewittClinton.jpg

8. Addressing the Problems: Expense The Bessemer Process, patented by Henry Bessemer of England, was the first inexpensive industrial process for mass producing steel. This revolutionized the railroad industry. Photo credit: http://ndd.svarog.org/slike/bessemer_henry.jpg

9. Steel rails were stronger than iron rails and could bear more weight. They also did not rust.

10. Bessemer Process In the Bessemer process compressed air is blown into the bottom of a converter, a furnace shaped like a cement mixer, containing molten pig iron. The excess carbon in the iron burns out, other impurities form a slag, and the furnace is emptied by tilting. Photo credit: http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/m0016421.html

11. Addressing the Problems: Safety George Westinghouse invented and manufactured a compressed-air braking system, later inventing a reverse-acting fail-safe system that remains standard on railroads today.

12. Addressing the Problems: Comfort George Pullman introduced luxury into railroad travel with his sleeping car in 1864 and his separate dining car in 1868.

13. Pullman Luxury Pullman Sleeper Comfort Car

14. Transcontinental Railroad The first transcon-tinental railroad was planned before the Civil War through the territory acquired via the Mexican War and the Gadsden Purchase. The location of choice was more “flat” than any other, and appeased the Southern states. These plans were “scrapped” by the Civil War. Photo credit: http://www.oldmesilla.org/assets/images/gadsden-purchase-map.jpg

15. Transcontinental Railroad The wartime Congress pursued plans for a transcontinental railroad to connect Omaha, Nebraska and Sacramento, California. Photo credit: http://www.oldmesilla.org/assets/images/gadsden-purchase-map.jpg

16. Transcontinental Railroad Photo credit: http://www.southjerseynews.com/brainstorm/1098/images/map.gif

17. Transcontinental Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad moved westward from Omaha, employing mainly Irish laborers. The Central Pacific Railroad moved eastward from Sacramento and employed over 7,000 Chinese immigrants at $1.00 each per day. The job was harsh and brutal. There were over 1,200 deaths due to accidents alone.

18. Transcontinental Railroad Chinese workers

19. Transcontinental Railroad • The federal government provided loans of money and grants of land for each mile of railroad built. • $16,000 to $48,000 per mile for each mile of track laid (based upon the terrain) • up to 20 square miles of land per each mile of track laid

20. Transcontinental Railroad

21. Transcontinental Railroad The tracks were joined at Promontory Point, Utah on May 10, 1869. Society changed. Photo credit: http://www.ambrosevideo.com/resources/docs/173.JPG

22. Transcontinental Railroad The building of other “transcon-tinental” railroads rapidly progressed. Photo Credit: http://www.objectivistcenter.org/graphics/first_transcontinental.jpg

23. Societal Effects of the Railroad The railroads led to the development of … • lands west of the Mississippi river. • the area and population of towns and cities along the new rail lines. • a transportation network for people and goods. • a flow of economic activity between raw materials, growing industries and growing cities. (Related industries grew at a phenomenal rate. Productivity increased x 12 in 50 years!)

24. Societal Effects of the Railroad The railroads led to … • the U. S. Mail service (goodbye Pony Express). • the mail order industry (Sears-Roebuck, Montgomery-Wards, J.C. Penney) • a stronger western military presence. • increased conflicts between whites and native Americans.

25. Societal Effects of the Railroad The railroads changed our concept of time!!! Railroad Standard Time was adopted by the railroad in 1883 (by the nation in 1918) creating the four time zones used on the mainland today. Photo credit: http://www.worldatlas.com