Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Other pieces of the transcontinental railroad have become trails, still other are abandoned to the prairies or mountains to be reclaimed by nature. These map panels illustrating the route of the transcontinental railroad are superimposed on top of current cities, place names, and interstate highways. The transcontinental railroad s western leg was known as the central pacific, the vision of theodore d. The building of the transcontinental railroad lesson plans from. Technological advances in papermaking and printing which permitted quick and inexpensive reproduction of maps greatly benefited railroad cartography. American expansion lesson 6 the transcontinental railroad. Lesson plan on the transcontinental railroad for grades 612, with activities that could be. Have the students create a 3d topographical map of the transcontinental railroad. Hand each student a copy of the notecard notetaking worksheet and write on a chart paper the title effects of the transcontinental railroad. Building the transcontinental railroad 18301870 crossroads america. A transcontinental railroad or transcontinental railway is a contiguous network railroad trackage that crosses a continental land mass with terminals at different oceans or continental borders.
Looking for a good book about the transcontinental railroad. We invite you to join us in our investigation of the transcontinental railroad. Nea transcontinental telegraph and railroad, grades k5. Nea transcontinental telegraph and railroad, grades 68. From the chamber of commerce of newyork to the chamber of commerce of san francisco, on the completion of the pacific. Military railroad during the civil war, and in 1868, he set out to document the union pacifics journey to. Includes links to photos, maps and other railroad related sites. The pacific railway a brief history of building the transcontinental railroad. Mapmaking and printing history of railroads and maps.
Two railroad companies competed to build the transcontinental railroad pictures of the american westnational archives and record administrationalfred a. The first transcontinental railroad primary source documents. The proposal for the transportation system was presented to congress by asa whitney transcontinental railroad fact 2. Transcontinental railroad construction, competition. The transcontinental railroad on july 4, 1870, a boston trade official named alex h. After completion of the activities children receive a certificate of completion. The men who built the transcontinental railroad 18631869 paperback november 6, 2001. Students will increase their awareness of the hardships faced by workers building the transcontinental railroad. Recently i have been introduced to the history of the transcontinental railroad through reading ambroses book nothing like it in the world.
Transcontinental railroad fact sheet prior to the opening of the transcontinental railroad, it took four to six months to travel 2000 miles from the missouri river to california by wagon. The transcontinental railroad activity and lesson plan comes complete with everything you need to engage and teach your students about the first transcontinental railroad. The transcontinental railroad history of railroads and. The lesson concludes by contrasting the classic photos and paintings of the. Transcontinental railroad bureau of land management. Mark twain chronicled his experiences living and working out west in his book roughing it, published in 1872. These maps are crucial for understanding the regions history, its present, and. Cprr discussion group central pacific railroad photographic. Building the transcontinental railroad a brief history in printable format. List of books and articles about transcontinental railroad. Map of the central pacific railroad and its connections published in the california mail bag san francisco news letter and california advertiser, vol. Once the railroad was completed, it slowly ended the more hazardous stagecoach and wagon caravans. By 1881, it was routine to travel by train from eastern cities.
There are many misconceptions surrounding the completion of the transcontinental railroad. The impact of the transcontinental railroad nehedsitement. The transcontinental railroad of 1862 for kids and teachers. Before the introduction of these new techniques early in the nineteenth century, maps were laboriously engraved, in reverse, usually on copper plates, and printed on hand presses. Railroad backcountry byway activity book focuses on cultural resources. Once the railroad was completed, it slowly ended the.
One of the important events during his presidency was the completion of the transcontinental railroad on march 10, 1869. The first transcontinental railroad known originally as the pacific railroad and later as the overland route was a 1,912mile 3,077 km continuous railroad line constructed between 1863 and 1869 that connected the existing eastern u. Pearl harbor for kids lesson plan and worksheets pearl harbor map, pearl. Students begin the lesson by working with the vocabulary necessary for understanding the six. How did the transcontinental railroad affect american expansion to the west. The first transcontinental railroad primary source documents document 1. Three coloring pages for the transcontinental railroad. From two student activities and assignments to choose from, to the 39 slide powerpoint presentation which has a builtin discuss.
Each reacts to the advent of the transcontinental railroad from a different perspective. Protecting the up this scan is the text of war department correspondence regarding gen. Explore the different railroad lines and learn about the hardships workers faced. Stereoviews, engravings, maps, and documents are treasures of western americana that illustrate the history of the first transcontinental railroad, built from sacramento, california over the sierra nevada mountains, the to end of track at the golden spike ceremony at promontory, utah where the rails were joined on may 10, 1869 with the union. This is an actual book, not the kindle edition, which is the only version that shows up in goodreads. Transcontinental railroad story map created by the utah division of state history antiquities program, this story map offers historical context on how the construction of the railroad was such a watershed event for utah and the american west. Before the advent of the transcontinental railroad, a journey across the continent to the western states meant a dangerous six month trek over rivers, deserts, and mountains. Bookshistory educationteaching 5th gradewestward expansion california. I like trains, i like history, particularly 19th century american history, so i figured i would give this a try. Such networks can be via the tracks of either a single railroad or over those owned or controlled by multiple railway companies along a continuous route. Reenactment of last spike ceremony for gradeschoolage and middleschoolage students. A map of the original route of the transcontinental. A map of the original route of the transcontinental railroad.
When it was passed by congress in 1862, the pacific railway act permitted two companies to begin construction on the transcontinental railroad. Shermans 1867 order to provide military protection to trains on the up route. The first transcontinental railroad in the united states was built in the 1860s. A unit study by diyhsr may 10, 2012 april 27, 2020 amid all the stories of the golden spike and the crosscountry race between the union pacific and the central pacific, many have lost sight of the facts behind the building of the transcontinental railroad. Apr 28, 20 the building of the transcontinental railroad lesson plans from. The transcontinental railroad weber county library. Students begin the lesson by working with the vocabulary necessary for understanding the six transcontinental railroad primary source documents. Montague, central pacific railroad, shakes hands with grenville m. Students analyze archival material such as photos, documents, and posters, to understand the who was involved in constructing, and the lasting phenomenon of. In spite of this fact, the golden spike ceremony celebrating the railroads completion took place months earlier in a different location. The transcontinental railroad fact sheet and timeline for kids. In 1863 the union pacific rr began construction from omaha, nebr. January 1863 central pacific railroad breaks ground on its portion of the railroad at. The journey across the country from lewis and clark to the transcontinental railroad with 25 projects build it yourself.
The central pacific railroad museum site has a link to an excerpted version of one of asa whitneys pacific railroad proposals to congressthis one from 1848. See the map on the next page for the closest services. In 1862, the central pacific and the union pacific railroad companies began building a transcontinental railroad that would link the united states from east to. Overview using a variety of maps, students assess the need for a transcontinental railroad in the 1860s. Aug 06, 2018 hand each student a copy of the notecard notetaking worksheet and write on a chart paper the title effects of the transcontinental railroad. This act was the approval and funding to build the transcontinental railroad. Alternatively, a traveler could hazard a six week sea voyage around cape horn, or sail to central america and cross the isthmus of panama by. Use this lesson plan to teach students about the history and impact of the transcontinental railroad. If you would like to have a copy of the junior rangerfireman mailed or emailed to you before you visit. Central pacific railroad construction in the 1860s. Transcontinental railroad activity and dbq a comprehensive resource for getting your students up, moving, and thinking critically about the transcontinental railroad. Engineer theodore judah reaches donner passand identifies the location as ideal for constructing a line through the sierra nevada. The transcontinental railroad history of railroads and maps. Dodge, whats the best route for a pacific railroad to the west.
First, the students should use the play dough to model the land features of the united states. The transcontinental railroad for kids ulysses grant was the 18th american president who served in office from march 4, 1869 to march 4, 1877. At a signal from one of the other officials present on this historic day, rice poured the water into the. The two lines met at promontory summit, utah, and on may 10, 1869, a golden spike joined the two railways, thus completing the first transcontinental railroad. Along with the lesson plans prepared by the teachers in the wasatch range writing project, which are available here in pdf format, please visit any weber county library location, for a wide. Russell had been the official photographer of the u. The building of the transcontinental railroad is a story of many parts. In spite of this fact, the golden spike ceremony celebrating the railroad s completion took place months earlier in a different location.
Connecting the united states from east to west, the transcontinental railroad was completed in strasburg formerly comanche, colorado on august 15, 1870. The transcontinental railroad addresses the laborious and often dangerous process of connecting the united states from east to west. It is a good laymans guide to the building of the transcontinental railroad, which in fact was not a transcontinental railroad. We should note that this lesson draws on a pbs documentary video that is not directly available on the site. The possibility of railroads connecting the atlantic and pacific coasts was discussed in the congress even before the treaty with england which settled the question of the oregon boundary in 1846. Subtitled incorrectly the men who built the transcontinental railroad 18631869, i knew i was taking a risk reading an ambrose book, but the subject was compelling to me. Lesson ideas for use with the picture book coolies, by yin. Geography and history activity transcontinental railroads.
Post civil war united states, 18651892 map can be downloaded in. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Chief promoter of a transcontinental railroad was asa whitney, a new york merchant active in the china trade who was obsessed with the idea of a railroad to the pacific. Transcontinental railroad activity primary sources dbq. The chinese immigrants who contributed greatly to the completion of the transcontinental railroad were excluded from the photograph picture during the golden spike. But what the heck, why let a few geographical facts stand in the way of a good story. Activity three in the lesson asks students to compare the construction of the transcontinental railroad from a variety of perspectives, including those of chinese laborers. Watch the transcontinental railroad american experience. The trip across the overland trails followed by settlers could take four to six months, however, and were treacherous on foot or by wagon. The junior fireman program is an all new program for kids 3 to 5 that has fun activities created for younger children to help them learn about the history of the transcontinental railroad, and the locomotives. Transcontinental railroad uen utah education network. First transcontinental railroad photographic history museum. The transcontinental railroad meet your next favorite book. The 1st transcontinental railroad for kids we also learned how the railroad expanded between 18631869 to connect the eastern united states with the west to form the first transcontinental railroad.
Two private companies were hired to build a railroad that would connect railroads coast to coast. Nothing like it in the world meet your next favorite book. In his hand was a bottle of water from the atlantic ocean that he had brought from the east coast. Although the results were excellent, this slow and costly process. Students will answer questions about the railroad, then color the picture according to the color code. While there were many who put great time, energy, and money into the venture his unyielding efforts in what he called his railroad central pacific laid the groundwork and firmly believed an acceptable route with manageable grades could be built through californias seemingly. A timeline history of the transcontinental railroads in north america. January 1863 central pacific railroad breaks ground on its portion of the railroad at sacramento, california. Fun facts about the route, the union pacific, and the pacific railroad act. Instruct students to write the title as the main idea on their notecard and to listen as you read for supporting factsdetails of the effects of the transcontinental railroad on people and on the land. This page lists fantastic books on the american westward expansion for kids. Celebrity status aside, the relative sales of the two books were undoubtedly influenced by the fact that empire express is twice the length of the ambrose book. The building of the transcontinental line across the vast mountains, plains, and deserts of the west was, undoubtedly, a spectacle to behold, and this is the book that puts you there.
Fun pony express lesson for kids 123 homeschool 4 me. Available on kindle ebook and can be read on any device with the free kindle app. History of railroads and maps a detailed look at surveying and mapping railroads during the period of western expansion. Transcontinental railroad constructed between 1863 and central. In 1862, the central pacific and the union pacific railroad companies began building a transcontinental railroad that would link the united states from east to west. How did the transcontinental railroad change utahs economy. It provides some good information on the building of the transcontinental railroad. However, the book appears to have been cobbled together as fast as the editors could do so. See more ideas about social studies, westward expansion and us history. Aug 29, 2000 subtitled incorrectly the men who built the transcontinental railroad 18631869, i knew i was taking a risk reading an ambrose book, but the subject was compelling to me. Sep 30, 20 the 1st transcontinental railroad for kids we also learned how the railroad expanded between 18631869 to connect the eastern united states with the west to form the first transcontinental railroad.
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