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Proposal to Congress
Asa Whitney proposed his idea of a transcontinental railroad in front of Congress in January of 1845. It isn't declined or approved. -
Period: to
Start-Finish
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Expanding Westward
James K. Polk announces there is gold in Oregon and people begin to move west. -
California
Gold-rich California becomes a state. -
Congress Aproval
Congress approved the funds for the railroad -
Construction Approval
Congress pushed legislation that allowed for the construction of the railroad -
Breaking Ground
On both coasts the first constuction of the railroads began. -
Meeting of Lines
Cental Pacific and Union Pacific rail lines met in Promontory Summit, Utah and a golden spike was struck in by a silver mallet. -
Other Lines
Three lines were completed in 1883. The Northern Pacific RR stretched from Lake Superior to Portland, Oregon (September 8, 1883); from Atchison, Kansas to Los Angeles, California was the Santa Fe (March 3, 1883); and the Southern Pacific connected Los Angeles with New Orleans (February 5, 1883). -
The Great Northern Railroad
The fifth and final line of the Transcontinental Railroad is completed. The Great Northern line runs from Sain Paul, Minnesota to Seattle, Washington.
