The document discusses how the railroad peaked in mileage in Nevada in the late 1800s but then began declining due to the rise of automobiles and other forms of transportation. It also examines the major impacts of the transcontinental railroad on connecting the east and west coasts, enabling mass migration, and both helping and harming Native American tribes and the buffalo population through the influx of settlers. The railroad played a pivotal role in the development and settlement of the American West but also had unintended negative consequences.

1. Bell Ringer
1. During what year did the railroad length reach its peek
in Nevada?
2. When do we see the decline in railroad mileage and what
do you think lead to this decline?

2. The Railroads and the
Conquest of the West

3. Teams
Vs.

4. Who was named the youngest
MVP in the NBA last season?
 A) Derrick Rose
 B) LeBron James
 C) Blake Griffin
 D) Snooki

5. Transcontinental Railroad

6. Transcontinental Railroad
 Two coasts of the
continent were finally
connected
 People were able to
travel into the far West

8. Greed
 The government would
give RR companies land
that surrounded RR.
 A RR in a straight line
meant less land from the
government.
 That land was sold for
profit

9. Growth

10. Positives
 Gave rise to new cities
 Provided growth to other industries
 Created jobs
 Moved people West

11. Chinese Irish
Civil War
Veterans
Irish

12. Working Conditions
 Workers faced heat and cold
 The labor was backbreaking
and dangerous
 Usage of dynamite caused
many accidents
 Workers also battled Natives

13. Salary Inequality
 Engineer ($957)
 Conductor ($575)
 Brakeman ($212)
 Laborer ($124)

14. Who is the artist of this
particular song?

15. Train

16. Native Americans

17. Railroads and Native Americans
 Direct Impact  Indirect Impact
 RR were constructed  RR brought new settlers
right through Native who took over Native
land which created American land
conflict

18. What animal was crucial to the
Native American way of life and
culture?
 A) Buffalo
 B) Bear
 C) Snapping Turtle
 D) Bugs Bunny

19. Destruction of the Buffalo

20. RR and the Buffalo
 Direct Impact  Indirect Impact
 RR worker killed the  RR brought settlers who
buffalo for food hunted the buffalo

24. RR create time zones
 Before the massive network of RR, individual
cities could decide on the time.
 The RR created the need for accurate timing
and that’s how the time zones came about.

26. Farmers and RR
 RR had the control over
prices
 Farmers were forced to pay
high transportation costs
 This kept many farmers in
debt

27. The End
 Ticket Out the Door
 What positive and negative contributions did the
RRs have on the western movement?