What did the Central Pacific Railroad line connect?

North America’s first transcontinental railroad (known originally as the “Pacific Railroad” and later as the “Overland Route”) was a 1,911-mile (3,075 km) continuous railroad line constructed between 1863 and 1869 that connected the existing eastern U.S. rail network at Council Bluffs, Iowa with the Pacific coast at …

Who did the Central Pacific Railroad rely on?

By the time the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads met in Utah in 1869, Central Pacific had recruited thousands of additional workers directly from China. When the Transcontinental Railroad was complete, Chinese laborers made up over 90 percent of Central Pacific’s workforce.

What was the Central Pacific Railroad Company?

Central Pacific Railroad, American railroad company founded in 1861 by a group of California merchants known later as the “Big Four” (Collis P. Huntington, Leland Stanford, Mark Hopkins, and Charles Crocker); they are best remembered for having built part of the first American transcontinental rail line.

Why was the Central Pacific Railroad important?

They obtained enormous financial and political support from the U.S. government even as the Union was warring with itself. They would be remembered for their contributions to the nation’s first transcontinental railway and for having further secured the nation’s movement and settlement westward.

What did the Pacific Railway Acts do?

The Pacific Railway Act, which became law on July 1, 1862, offered government incentives to assist “men of talent, men of character, men who are willing to invest” in developing the nation’s first transcontinental rail line.

What led to the Pacific Railway Act?

In the years leading up to the Civil War, Congress commissioned topographical surveys in an effort to identify the best route. After Southern states seceded, Congress agreed on a northern route to the Pacific and to the use of federal lands to subsidize the construction of a railroad and telegraph line.

Why was the Pacific Railway Act created?

The act was an effort to aid in the construction of a railroad and telegraph line from the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean and to secure the use of that line to the government. Congress eventually authorized four transcontinental railroads and granted 174 million acres of public lands for rights-of-way.

What did the Pacific railroad do?

The legislative efforts that resulted in the Pacific Railway Act led to the successful completion of the transcontinental railroad, which reduced the travel time across the continent from several months to one week and is considered one of the greatest technological achievements of the 19th century.

What was the Pacific Railroad Act quizlet?

Passed by Congress in 1862, this law distributed millions of acres of western lands to state governments in order to fund state agricultural colleges. 1886 – Stated that individual states could control trade in their states, but could not regulate railroads coming through them.