pacific railroads

In mid-1860s, two railroad companies had a huge job in front of them: building the transcontinental railroad. The railroad would run from east to west across the United States. As the grueling work began, there were many choices to make. Now the choices are yours. Would you rather blast rock to lay track in the Sierra Nevada mountain range or build bridges across raging rivers in the Great Plains? Would you rather sleep in a cold mountain tunnel or in a camp infested with bedbugs and rats? It's your turn to pick this or that!.

Explores the construction of the transcontinental railroad that opened coast-to-coast travel in the United States.

Describes the building of the first railroad to join the eastern and western part of the United States and the effect of this transcontinental link on the future development of the country.

"Chronicles the historic meeting of two railroad lines in 1869 that linked the U.S. transcontinental railroad and Andrew J. Russell's famous photograph of the event"--Provided by publisher.

Explores the challenges faced during the construction of the transcontinental railroad, covering topics such as the impact of the Civil War, conflicts with Native Americans, and the establishment of railroad towns, with illustrations, a timeline, and statistics.

"Readers may know the basic facts about the creation of the first transcontinental railroad, but the full story behind the push to connect the United States by rail is much more than the names and dates taught in history classes. Readers discover...[key]...details, including the contributions of immigrants as they encounter engaging main text, comprehensive sidebars, and historical images that include carefully chosen primary sources. These text features come together to give readers an in-depth look at the first successful attempt to connect the United States through transportation"--Amazon.com.

People today refer to the Midwestern and prairie states as flyover country. During the Civil War, crossing those areas was the biggest obstacle in uniting the East and West Coasts of our divided nation. An act of Congress in 1862 authorized the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific railroad companies to build a railroad that would link the coasts. Seven years later, on May 10, 1869, an overwhelmingly immigrant labor force completed the task when a rail line was join in Promontory, Utah. The states had become united at last.

In a time when the United States could not expand fast enough, railroads became essential for the country to grow. The Transcontinental Railroad narrates the race to build rail lines into the West for money, land, and fame. Easy-to-read text, vivid images, and helpful back matter give readers a clear look at this subject. Features include a table of contents, maps, a glossary, additional resources, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Core Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

Readers learn about the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad, completed in 1869, which connected the Pacific Coast to the Eastern United States.

Explains why the Transcontinental Railroad was built and how this monumental project was completed. Considers the economic and cultural significance of the railroad and includes color illustrations and a glossary.