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Asa Whitney presented Congress a plan for a federal government plan to subsidise the building of a railroad from the Mississippi river to the Pacific
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Settlement of the Oregon boundary in 1846
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Accquisition of western territories from Mexico
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Discovery of gold in california, discovery of it increased support for the project
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Congress appropiated funds to servey various proposed groups
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Rivalry over the route was intense, Senator Stephen Douglas intorduced his Kansas-Nebraska act, wanted to win apporval for a railway from Chicago, hoping that the North and South wouldn't delay the plans
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During Civil War, Reoublic controlled Congress enacted legislation allowing for the construction of a trancontinental line, railroad would be built by two companies, each company recieved subsidies of 10 mile area around railroads, doubled in 1864, 30-year government loan for each track constructed.
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Union Pacific railroad started construction in Omaha, Nebr., Central Pacidic broke gorund at Sacramento CA.
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Golden spike joins the two railways, completeing the first continental railroad.
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3 additional lines were finished
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Great Nothern line completed
