The Transcontinental Railroad and Westward Expansion

Thesis: The transcontinental railroad greatly increased Westward expansion in
the United States of America during the latter half of the nineteenth century.


The history of the United States has been influenced by England in many ways.
In the second half of the 1800's, the railroad, which was invented in England,
had a major effect on Western expansion in the United States.

"Railroads were born in England, a country with dense
populations, short distances between cities, and large
financial resources. In America there were different
circumstances, a sparse population in a huge country, large
stretches between cities, and only the smallest amounts of
money." ("Railroad" 85)

The first American railroads started in the 1830's from the Atlantic ports of
Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Wilmington, Charleston, and Savannah
(Douglas 23). Within twenty years, four rail lines had crossed the Alleghenies
to reach their......

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Title: The Transcontinental Railroad And Westward Expansion
Approximate Word Count: 2513
Approximate Pages: 11 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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