-
Asa Whitney presented to Congress a plan to the federal government to subsidize building railroad to Mississippi River to Pacific Ocean
-
Settlement of Oregon boundary
-
Acquistion of Western Territories from Mexico
-
Discovery of gold in California which was increasing support
-
Congress appropriated funds to survey routes
-
There was intense rivalry over the route
Senator Stephen Douglas introduced Kansaa- Nebraska Act to win approval line from Chicago
Upcoming controversey between North and South -
(During Civil War) republican controlled congress entacted a legislation to provide construction for the railroad
Law provided the railway be built by two companies federal land grants were given to 10 alternative sections per mile both side -
Union Pacific Railroad began Omaha, Nebraska
Central Pacific Railroad began to Sacramento, California
The two lines met at Promontory Summit, Utah -
Amount doubled
30 year government plan each mile of track constructed -
Leland Stadnford drove the golden spike connecting the two railways
-
There are three additional lines finished:
1. Northern Pacific Railroad (Lake Superior to Portland)
2. Santa Fe Railroad (Atchison, Kansas to Los Angeles)
3. Southern Pacific (Los Angeles to New Orleans) -
The Fifth line is complete the Great Northern, each company ended up recieving extra grants for land.
Shoddy Construaction from the promis land or scandals (Credit Mobiler) happened frequently
Aided the western settlement and connected the frontier and rapid economic growth in (farming, mining, amd cattle raising)
