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Asa Whitney presented to Congress a plan to build a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific.
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The Oregon Boundary was settled
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The acquisition of western territories in Mexico
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Gold was Discovered in California
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Congress gave funds in order for proposed routes to be surveyed.
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Senator Stephan Douglas wanted to win approval for a line from Chicago, so he introduced his Kansas-Nebraska Act. However, controversary between the North and South delayed the plans.
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This provided for construction of a transontinental line, The law provided the railroad be built by two companies. Eachcompany would recieve federal land grants of 10 square miles per mile on both sides of the line and a 30-year loan from the government for each mile of track constructed.
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The Union PAcific began construction in Omaha, Nebraska and the Central Pacific began construction in Sacramento, California.
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The amount of land given to the two companies building the railroad was doubled.
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A golden spike joined the two railways at Promontory Summit, Utah where they met, completing the first transcontinental railroad.
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Many other railways were added later on; The Northern Pacific RR stretched from Lake Superior to Portland, Oregan; the Santa Fe extended from Atchison, Kansas to Los Angeles;and the Southern PAcific connected Los Angeles to New Orleans
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The fifth line, otherwise known as the Great Northern, was completed. Each of the companies received extensive grants of land, but none of them obtained government loans
