Pacific railway acts united states history britannica. For operations of the current railroad, see union pacific railroad. Some of its provisions were subsequently modified, expanded, or repealed by four additional amending acts. Other sections of the 1903 route are still operated by the altamont corridor express, and the union pacific railroad. In 1862 congress passed the pacific railway act, which designated the 32nd parallel as the initial transcontinental route and gave huge grants of lands for rightsofway.
Learn first pacific railway act of 1862 with free interactive flashcards. Pacific railroad act transcontiental railroad and land grants. The pacific railroad act of 1862 was the original act. The pacific railway act of 1862 authorized the union pacific railroad and the central pacific railroad to build a railroad and a telegraph line beginning in. Railroads a selection of books e books available in trible library. By the act of congress approved july 1, 1862, pacific railroad act of 1862 to aid in the construction of a railroad and telegraph from the missouri to the pacific, a grant of land is made, excluding mineral, of every alternate odd numbered section, to the amount of five alternate sections per mile, on each side of the route.
An act to aid in the construction of a railroad and telegraph line from the missouri river to the pacific ocean, and to secure to the government the use of the same for postal, military, and other purposes. With one exception the pacific railroad confirmed the expectations of its advocates and justified the participation of the u. The act also granted 10 alternate sections of public domain land per mile on both sides. The first pacific railway act july 1, 1862 authorized the building of the railroad and granted rights of way to the union pacific to build westward from omaha, neb. The pacific railroad act in summer 1862, nearly 80 commissioners assembled in chicago, along with dignitaries, journalists, and other interested parties gathered in chicago in late august. In 1862 congress passed the pacific railway act, which designated the 32nd parallel as the initial transcontinental route and gave huge grants of lands for rights of way.
They were at the countrys emerging railroad hub for the first meeting of the board of commissioners of the union pacific railroad and telegraph co. The northern states supported the railroad as it connected california to its big industrial cities. Basically, the pacific railroad act of 1862 was an act to aid in the construction of a railroad and telegraph line from the missouri river to the pacific ocean. This act provided federal government support for the building of the first transcontinental railroad, which was completed on may 10, 1869. Off campus access instructions for e books american railroads in the. The senate passed the pacific railway act on june, 20, 1862, by a vote of 35 to 5. The 1862 pacific railroad act spurred the union pacific to complete a transcontinental rail link. Transcontinental railroad apush questions might cover the ways in which the government promoted the development of the railway, including the pacific railroad acts, the motivations for building the railway, and the cultural, economic, and political outcomes of its construction. The pacific railway act july 1, 1862 an act to aid in the construction of a railroad and telegraph line from the missouri river to the pacific ocean. Congress in 1862 passed the pacific railroads act, which set the framework for the construction of a central transcontinental route. The pacific railroad acts were a series of acts of congress that promoted the construction of a transcontinental railroad in the united states through authorizing the issuance of government bonds and the grants of land to railroad companies. Lincoln signed the pacific railroad act of 1862 into law on july 1.
The homestead acts had few qualifying requirements. The central pacific railroad, the company that built the western portion of the railroad, employed more than 10,000 chinese laborers. The original 1862 act s long title was an act to aid in the construction of a railroad and telegraph line from the missouri river to the pacific ocean, and to secure to the government the use of the same for postal, military, and other purposes. Pacific railroad act in 1862 president abraham lincoln signed the pacific railroad act into law. Indians had been pushed to one side and another and a single track had. Wallace d farnham, the pacific railroad act of 1862, nebraska history 43 1962.
The pacific railway act head of a family the homestead act of 1862 stated that any current or future citizen, with a mere ten dollars, could claim a homestead of up to 160 acres of government land, and improve the land by putting it to use as a family plot. The first pacific railway act july 1, 1862 authorized the building of the railroad and granted rights of way to the. It was incorporated in 1861 by judah and the big four who called themselves the associates. This act provided federal government support for the building of the. The lure of the west delaware valley school district. The building of the transcontinental railroad graphic history. The pacific railway act of 1862 helped join the east and west coasts by rail and served as an important step in the development of the united states. Erste transkontinentale eisenbahn ist eine bezeichnung. Transcontinental railroad construction, competition. The need for a transcontinental railway to facilitate transportation of persons and products across the united states became increasingly clear in. The two railroads would meet somewhere in the middle.
July 1, 1862 passed july 1, 1862, the pacific railway act allotted federal funds and land for the construction of a transcontinental railway. This act, passed on july 1, 1862, provided federal subsidies in land and loans for the construction of a transcontinental railroad across the united states. Consequently, it abandoned the original 1862 western pacific railroad route over altamont pass to niles, except for a section between pleasanton, california, through niles canyon, to the niles district in fremont, california. Choose from 48 different sets of first pacific railway act of 1862 flashcards on quizlet. The pacific railway act authorized construction of the first transcontinental railroad, extending from the missouri river to the pacific ocean. Finally, in 1862, congress passed the pacific railroad act. It seems only fitting that president lincoln, a former railroad lawyer, signed the first two major pieces of legislation, the pacific railroad act of 1862 and a significant amendment to the act in 1864. What did the pacific railroad act of 1862 accomplish. At the same time, the act chartered the union pacific railroad company to build west from the missouri river. The functioning of the act resulted in the expansion of roads and it provided new avenues for people to migrate into the u.
In a democratic society, in order for the public to come to a consensus arguments must be constructed and delivered in a manner such that the public is made to feel a certain way. Not long after president abraham lincoln signed the pacific railway act of 1862, railroad financier george francis train proclaimed, the great pacific railway is commenced. Tells the story of how the transcontinental railroad was built during the 1800s. The pacific railroad act facilitated the creation of the first transcontinental railroad, a huge railway line that connected the east of the usa to the west. The pacific railway act of 1862 authorized the union pacific railroad and the central pacific railroad to build a railroad and a telegraph line beginning in omaha, nebraska, and ending. The rapid settlement of the western territories in the 1850s convinced most members of congress of the need for efficient rail transport to the pacific coast, but which route would the railroad follow. The need for a transcontinental railway to facilitate transportation of persons and products across the united states became increasingly clear in the 1850s due to the acquisition of california and the. Celebrate the 150th anniversary of the transcontinental. The pacific railroad act of 1862 was a congressional law supporting the construction of a transcontinental railway line across the united states, allowing the issuance of government bonds and the granting of land for the benefit of the railways.
It started with the signing of the pacific railway act of 1862 by president abraham lincoln. The act said that there were two main railroad lines. Click the title for location and availability information. Where the buffalo no longer roamed history smithsonian. Sacramento, california businessmen leland stanford. An act to aid in the construction of a railroad and telegraph line fom jr uly the missouri river to the pacific ocean. The transcontinental railroad was the nations first railway connecting the eastern rail lines to the west coast.
Congress founded howard university, one of several new colleges for africanamericans, in 1867. Pacific railroad act legal definition of pacific railroad act. Pacific railroad act transcontiental railroad and land. The pacific railway act was signed into law by president abraham lincoln on july 1, 1862. The chinese railroad workers who helped connect the. The pacific railroad act pacific railroad act howstuffworks. The first transcontinental railroad was a 1,912mile 3,077 km continuous railroad line. The 1862 legislation provided for 30year federal loans at 6% interest, in amounts that depended upon the difficulty of the grade. The pacific railroad act of 1862 began federal government grant of lands directly to corporations. The original company, the union pacific rail road was incorporated on july 1, 1862, under an act of congress entitled pacific railroad act of 1862. The pacific railway act of 1862 gave the work of building the railroad to two companies. That made the project a payasyougo program, creating wealth out of the very land made accessible by the railroad. Signed into law by president abraham lincoln on july 1, 1862. An act to aid in the construction of a railroad and telegraph line from the missouri river to the pacific ocean.
Pacific railway act 1862 fedl govt subsidized construction of first western railroad union pacific directed by grenville dodge many irish immigrants went westward from omaha. The 1862 pacific railroad act spurred the union pacific to. Our documents transcript of pacific railway act 1862. The history of the union pacific railroad stretches from 1862 to the present. The central pacific railroad of california, chartered in 1861, was authorized to build a line east from sacramento. Transcript of pacific railway act 1862 our documents union pacific history and photos. Transcontinental railroad apush questions might cover the ways in which the government promoted the development of the railway, including the pacific railroad acts, the motivations for building the railway, and the cultural, economic, and political. Politics and economics of the war book summaries, test. And with that same stroke, he created union pacific. Financing americas first transcontinental railroad.
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. Not until the civil war gave the republican party unquestioned control did the project gain ultimate approval. An act to aid in the construction of a railroad and telegraph line from the missouri river to the pacific ocean, and to secure to the government the use. Jun 22, 2017 the transcontinental railroad was the nations first railway connecting the eastern rail lines to the west coast. Politically, the railroad act of 1862 strengthened the loyal element in. It provided government support for the building of first railroad to link the east and west coasts of the u. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. Government land grants under the pacific railroad act of 1862. Chinese immigrants provided much of the labor for construction of the transcontinental railroad. The act was approved and signed into law by president abraham lincoln on july 1, 1862. Aug, 2017 this lesson covers the influence of the pacific railroad act and railways on development of the west, starting with the different views onto development of the plains between the north and the south, building of the transcontinental railroad, its significance on settlement of the west. At least there was no conversation further than a single hurried request, now and then, from one employee to another. On july 1, 1862, after decades of debate and disagreement on the matter, lincoln brought the transcontinental railroad to life with a stroke of his pen. We could not eat, and there was no conversation among the hostlers and herdsmen we all sat at the same board.
In 1862, the pacific railroad act chartered the central pacific and the union pacific railroad companies, tasking them with building a. With books, newspapers and people crisscrossing the continent daily, americans in every corner of the country could participate in the. Official photographs of the central pacific railroad. Boomers, edward curtis, frontier thesisfrederick jackson turner, homesteaders, pull of factors westward including homestead act 1862, morrill land grant act 1862, pacific railway act 1862,1864, push factors of westward expansion, sooners, transcontinental railroad. Farnham on the 25th of june, a hundred years ago, the people of the united states learned from their daily papers that congress had finally passed a pacific railroad. Pacific railway act law and legal definition uslegal, inc. This lesson covers the influence of the pacific railroad act and railways on development of the west, starting with the different views onto development of the plains between the north and the south, building of the transcontinental railroad, its significance on settlement of the west. 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. Planned by theodore judah, the central pacific railroad was authorized by congress in 1862. An act to amend an act entitled an act to aid in the construction of a railroad and telegraph line from the missouri river to the pacific ocean, and to secure to the government the use of the same for postal, military, and other purposes, approved july 1, 1862. Pacific railway acts, 1862, 1864, two measures that provided federal subsidies in land and loans for the construction of a transcontinental railroad across the united states. The pacific railway act of 1862 authorized the union pacific railroad and the central pacific railroad to build a railroad and a telegraph line beginning in omaha, nebraska, and ending in sacramento, california.
Prior to the american civil war, disagreement between the northern and southern states prevented the creation of this railroad. The act also provided land from the public domain and government bonds to help pay for the construction. Central pacific, an existing california railroad, and a new railroad chartered by the act itself union pacific. The pacific railway act was signed by president abraham lincoln in 1862. The pacific railroad act, passed by congress in 1862 12 stat. Pacific railway act of 1862 1862, provides federal subsidies in land and loans for the construction of a transcontinental railroad by companies mainly union pacific and central pacific james j. 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. Celebrate the 150th anniversary of the transcontinental railroad by sleeping in a train car these authentic cabooses, mail cars and train cars from u. The act was approved by president abraham lincoln, and it provided for the construction of railroads from the missouri river to the pacific as a war measure for the preservation of the union. Strategic marketing in the passing of the pacific railroad act on july 1 st, 1862. The house of representatives passed the pacific railway act on june 24, 1862, by a vote of 104 to 21. Politics and economics of the war in the north, the republican. Later efforts to promote the railroad ran into sectional differences. The central pacific railroad would come from california and the union pacific railroad would come from the midwest.
Pacific railway act law and legal definition the pacific railway act of 1862 aids the construction of a railroad and telegraph line from the missouri river to the pacific ocean. Transcript of pacific railway act 1862 ourdocuments. The pacific railroad act of 1863 pacific railroad act of 1864 pacific railroad act of 1865 and pacific railroad act of 1866. The pacific railroad act 1862 authorized the construction of the first transcontinental line from both omaha, nebraska, and sacramento, california.