1. California Nevada Utah Wyoming Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Texas New Mexico Arizona Colorado South Dakota North Dakota Montana Idaho Oregon Washington It is the year 1860 You want to go from Sacramento, California . Omaha, Nebraska to Omaha Sacramento How do you get there? (Click on a mode of transportation) That’s 1,775 miles! Train Car Wagon W E S
2. California Nevada Utah Wyoming Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Texas New Mexico Arizona Colorado South Dakota North Dakota Montana Idaho Oregon Washington Omaha Sacramento YOU GOT IT! There were no train tracks running west in 1860. Pioneers needed to use a wagon to move west. How long would this trip take? 5 weeks 5 months or (Click to find out) W E S
3. It’s 1860 . There was no railroad tracks running from Nebraska to California. Railroads were developed in the eastern states but there were no tracks in the West . Click on button and try another mode of transportation.
4. It’s 1860 . The first practical automobile was not invented until 1885 by Karl Benz. There were no cars or roads for pioneers to use in 1860. Click on button and try another mode of transportation.
5. California Nevada Utah Wyoming Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Texas New Mexico Arizona Colorado South Dakota North Dakota Montana Idaho Oregon Washington Omaha Sacramento How much will this trip cost? $100 $1000 or (Click to find out) Some expenses: Wagon Oxen Cows Camping material 5 month’s food supply W E S
6. California Nevada Utah Wyoming Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Texas New Mexico Arizona Colorado South Dakota North Dakota Montana Idaho Oregon Washington Omaha All right, The wagon’s loaded… The family’s ready… Let’s head west… My sister has cholera! We need to get our wagon across a river… It’s so hard to go through these mountains! We got held up by bandits! They took everything! Finally made it! 5 months and 14 days later! Sacramento Hardships on the Wagon Trip: - Sickness - Getting across rivers - Dealing with stealing - Going through mountains W E S
7. Going by wagon was never cheap, short or easy! So, in 1862 , the USA decided build a railroad that would connect the East to the West.
8. Building the First Transcontinental Railroad started building from Sacramento, California started building from Omaha, Nebraska First spike: October 26, 1863 First spike: July 10, 1865 The job was given to two companies W E S
9. Who worked on the Railroad? - European immigrants - Chinese immigrants Union Pacific Central Pacific
10. California Nevada Utah Wyoming Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Texas New Mexico Arizona Colorado South Dakota North Dakota Montana Idaho Oregon Washington Omaha Sacramento Let’s see how the railroad grew. Question: Which company put down more tracks? (Click on one of the companies below ) or W E S A Central Pacific track A Union Pacific track
11. Look carefully at the map. Does the Central Pacific Railroad Company have more tracks than the Union Pacific Railroad Company ? Click on button and look carefully at the map.
12. Correct! California Nevada Utah Wyoming Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Texas New Mexico Arizona Colorado South Dakota North Dakota Montana Idaho Oregon Washington Omaha Sacramento Remember: The Union Pacific Railroad Company put down more tracks than the Central Pacific Railroad Company . W E S A Central Pacific track A Union Pacific track
13. Question: California Nevada Utah Wyoming Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Texas New Mexico Arizona Colorado South Dakota North Dakota Montana Idaho Oregon Washington Omaha Sacramento Remember: Why did the Central Pacific Railroad Company put down less tracks? Answer: The Central Pacific railroad had to tunnel through the Sierra Mountain Range first. The Union Pacific railroad laid tracks on the Plains first. W E S Promontory Summit A Central Pacific track A Union Pacific track
14. California Nevada Utah Wyoming Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Texas New Mexico Arizona Colorado South Dakota North Dakota Montana Idaho Oregon Washington Omaha Sacramento Remember: May 10, 1869: The two companies met at Promontory Summit in Utah. W E S Promontory Summit A Central Pacific track A Union Pacific track
15. Together, the presidents of both railroad companies drove a golden spike into the railroad at Promontory Summit in Utah, finally connecting the East and the West.
