American Democracy in Word and Deed
MDUSD/UCB H-SSP
4th Grade Lesson: “Railroads”
Developed by: Carol Wallis, Christi Hadley, Kimberly Leyden, Laura Ferguson, and Lauren Weaver
Teaching American History Grant Focus Question:
How have the words and deeds of people and institutions shaped democracy in the U.S.?
California History Standards: 4.4, 4.4.1
Unit Focus: Unit 4
Growth and Development: Transportation, Communication, and a Growing Economy.
Lesson Focus Question:
How did railroads affect California’s economy in the late 1800s?
Lesson Working Thesis:
The growth of railroads in the late 1800s affected California’s economy in both positive and
negative ways.
Reading and Writing Strategies:
 READING Strategy:
Analyzing a Political Cartoon
o Cause and Effect
 WRITING Strategy:
o Cause and Effect paragraph, scaffolded outline
Suggested Amount of Time:
One to two class periods
Textbook:
California: A Changing State. Orlando, Florida: Reflection Series, Harcourt
School Publishers, 2007, Chapter 7, pp287-288 and 295-297
Primary Source Citations:
G. F. Keller. The Curse of California. Illustration. The Wasp. 19 August 1882.
[Optional] Hart, Alfred A. “Traveler’s Own Map of the Central Pacific Railroad of California,”
The Travelers Own Book: A Panorama of Overland Travel, from Chicago to San
Francisco, Chicago, Horton & Leonard, 1870. For reference only, can be viewed at:
http://cprr.org/Museum/Maps/_hart_1870_travelers_map.html
[Optional]Southern Pacific Company. Map of California. Color Lithographed Map.8th edition,1901
Context of the lesson in the unit (and its connection to American Democracy in Word and Deed):
Students will be analyzing a political cartoon and connecting it to the section in the textbook
about the affect of the railroads on California’s economy in the 1800s.
1
Teacher Lesson Procedure:
1. Introduction
 Review CH 7, Lesson 2, “Building the Transcontinental Railroad” [p.4]. Review the “Big Four”
and teach vocabulary as needed.
o Primary Source Option: To show students the extent of the Central Pacific’s railroad lines
(especially the railroad lines east of Sacramento through the Sierra Nevada), visit the
following copyrighted map:
http://cprr.org/Museum/Maps/_hart_1870_travelers_map.html
 Pass out Analyzing a Political Cartoon worksheet [p.5, teacher reference/key p6, full page copy
for the elmo or overhead projector p7]
 Explain the purpose of political cartoons
 Students work in pairs to describe what they see and complete DAY 1 Questions box [p.5, cartoon
key with additional info. p6, extra copy to project on overhead or Elmo p7]
 Save DAY 2 Analyzing a Political Cartoon Question to revisit later
2. Reading Strategy
 Pass out “Rails Across California” reading from textbook [p9] and Cause and Effect chart [p10,
teacher key p11, student sample p14]
 Teacher guided choral reading of “Rails Across California”
o Primary Source Option, Map of California [p8]: Teacher may choose to project this map to
visually illustrate the Southern Pacific Railroad as the “octopus” that spread out across
California
 Review/explain cause and effect
 Teacher completes the cause and effect chart with the students
 When the chart is complete, teacher guides students in a discussion of how the railroads affected
California’s economy
 Return to political cartoon and have students complete DAY 2: Analyzing a Political Cartoon [p5]
 Teacher leads a discussion linking the reading with the cartoon
 Students work in pairs to complete the analysis question
 Teacher guides a discussion about the meaning of the cartoon
3. Writing Strategy
 Pass out Paragraph Outline with Writing Prompt [p12, teacher key p13, student sample p15]
 Teacher scaffolds the writing assignment to show students how they will be using the Cause and
Effect chart [p10] to aid them as they complete the outline
 Paragraph can be written as a class, with partners or individually
2
LESSON STANDARDS
History-Social Science Content Standards:
4.4 Students explain how California became an agricultural and industrial power, tracing the
transformation of the California economy and its political and cultural development since the 1850s.
1. Understand the story and lasting influence of the Pony Express, Overland Mail Service,
Western Union, and the building of the transcontinental railroad, including the
contributions of Chinese workers to its construction.
Historical and Social Sciences Analysis Skills:
Research, Evidence, and Point of View
 Students pose relevant questions about events they encounter in historical documents,
eyewitness accounts, oral histories, letters, diaries, artifacts, photographs, maps, artworks, and
architecture.
Historical Interpretation
 Students identify and interpret the multiple causes and effects of historical events.
Common Core English Language Arts Standards:
Reading Informational Text, Grade 4
Key Ideas and Details
RI.4.3. Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text,
including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.
-Textbook excerpts, pp287-88 and 295-97
Craft and Structure
RI.4.5. Describe the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect,
problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in a text or part of a text.
-Cause and Effect Textbook Reading, pp295-97
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
RI.4.7. Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in charts, graphs,
diagrams, time lines, animations, or interactive elements on Web pages) and explain how the
information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears.
-Political Cartoon
Writing, Grade 4
Text Types and Purposes
W.4.2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information
clearly.
 Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include
formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding
comprehension.
 Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and
examples related to the topic.
 Link ideas within categories of information using words and phrases (e.g., another, for
example, also, because).
 Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
 Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented
3
-Cause and Effect scaffolded paragraph outline
Building the Transcontinental Railroad
Chapter 7 Lesson 2, excerpt from pages 287-88
Hoping for a Railroad
Many people supported the idea of a transcontinental railroad (a railroad that would
cross the continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific.) In addition to improving travel,
many thought a transcontinental railroad would increase trade. Goods from California and
goods brought to California from Asia could be carried by train to the East Coast.
A young man named Theodore Judah took a special interest in the idea of a
transcontinental railroad. Judah was an engineer, someone who plans and builds railroads
and other structures. He knew the hardest part of the building a railroad to California
would be crossing the Sierra Nevada.
Building the Railroad
Building a transcontinental railroad would cost millions of dollars. Judah began to
look for people willing to invest in the railroad. Judah found four men who wanted to
invest—Leland Stanford, Collis P. Huntington, Mark Hopkins, and Charles Crocker. They
became known as the Big Four.
In 1861, Judah and the Big Four formed the Central Pacific Railroad Company . . .
In 1862, Congress passed the Pacific Railroad Act. The United States would provide
money and land for the Central Pacific Railroad Company to build a railroad east from
Sacramento. Another railroad company, the Union Pacific, would lay tracks west from
Council Bluffs, Iowa. The two railroad lines would meet in between.
From textbook: California: A Changing State. Orlando, Florida: Reflection Series, Harcourt School Publishers, 2007, pages 287-88
Lesson Question: How did railroads affect California’s economy in the late 1800s?
4
Analyzing a Political Cartoon
NAME_____________________________
DAY 1 Questions:
1. What is the name of the cartoon?
2. What is the name of the octopus?
3. What is the octopus holding in
his tentacles?
4. Describe the eyes.
G. F. Keller. The Curse of California. Illustration. The Wasp. 19 August 1882.
DAY 2 Questions: Analyzing the Political Cartoon
1. According to the cartoonist, how did the Big Four affect California’s economy?
5
TEACHER REFERENCE
ADDITIONAL TEACHER INFORMATION
Nob Hill is a wealthy area in San Francisco and one of the owners of the Southern Pacific Railroad (SPRR) owned a
home there. The railroad also owned their own telegraph lines and ships, and they only used their telegraph lines and would
only transport items using their own ships. Not only that, but the railroad lines only went to their own ports. This took nearly
all the business away from the other telegraph lines and shipping companies. They were also the only railroad around, so any
farmers or others who wanted to transport goods were forced to pay whatever prices the railroad wanted. Another industry
that suffered was the stagecoach industry. The railroad was a much faster and much more reliable source of transportation.
Mussel Slough was a town in the central valley where squatters were living on the land owned by SPRR. The
railroad owners sent the Federal Marshals into Mussel Slough to get the squatters off the land. In the struggle that ensued, 7
people were killed by the Marshals.
6
G. F. Keller. The Curse of California. Illustration. The Wasp. 19 August 1882.
7
Southern Pacific Company: Map of California, 1901
http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~22098~780011:Map-of-California-compiled-from-lat
Map of California compiled from latest official & authentic information, by the Southern Pacific Company. (8th. edn. 1901)
Collection: David Rumsey Historical Map, Author: Southern Pacific Company, Title: Map of California, Date: 1901, Publisher:
Southern Pacific Company, San Francisco [Note: Col. lithographed map. Relief shown by hachures. Shows drainage, settlements,
railroads, counties, etc. Includes indexes, and tables of temperature and county populations. David Rumsey Collection copy has
annotations in red ink. "No. 74. 8-2-01-50M".
8
Rails Across California
Effects of the Railroad
When the transcontinental railroad was completed, Californians were thrilled.
People in Sacramento hoped that the railroad would help the city grow. In San Francisco,
business owners were eager to send goods from Asia by rail to the East coast.
The railroad did lead to growth. However, it also caused problems for some
businesses. It brought new products into the state that sometimes cost less that goods
made and sold in California. Many businesses in the state suffered and closed.
More Railroads
Before the transcontinental railroad was finished, the Big Four had begun building
other railroads in California. One of these was the Southern Pacific Railroad. Part of this
railroad ran through the Central Valley from Stockton to Los Angeles. Towns along the
railroad’s route –such as Bakersfield, Modesto, Fresno, and Merced—grew quickly.
In return for building tracks, the Southern Pacific Railroad had gained more than
11million acres of land. This was a result of the Pacific Railroad Act of 1862. The act
granted large areas of land surrounding railroad tracks to the railroad company that laid
the tracks.
The Big Four gained more and more land with every new railroad track that they
laid in California. As they grew wealthier, they bought or started other railroads,
including the Western Pacific and the California Southern. The railroads owned by the
Big Four stretched in so many directions that they were nicknamed “the Octopus.”
For almost 20 years, the Big Four’s railroads had little competition in California. In
business, competition is a contest among companies to get the most customers or to sell
the most products. Because the railroads owned by the Big Four had little competition,
they could charge high prices for train tickets. At one time, a round-trip ticket from the
East to California cost more than $200. This is equal to about $3578 in today’s money.
From textbook: California: A Changing State. Orlando, Florida: Reflection Series, Harcourt School Publishers, 2007, pages 295-297
Lesson Question: How did railroads affect California’s economy in the late 1800s?
9
NAME_____________________________________
Cause and Effect Chart: The Railroads in California
Cause
[Because]
… the transcontinental railroad was completed
[Because]
It brought new products into the state that
sometimes cost less that goods made and sold
in California.
[Because]
Part of the Southern Pacific Railroad ran
through the Central Valley from Stockton to
Los Angeles.
[Because]
________________________________
________________________________
[Because]
The act granted large areas of land
surrounding railroad tracks to the railroad
company that laid the tracks.
[Because]
The Big Four gained more and more land with
every new railroad track that they laid in
California.
[Because]
As they grew wealthier,
Effect
The railroad did lead to growth.
________________________________
________________________________
Towns along the railroad’s route –such as
Bakersfield, Modesto, Fresno, and Merced—
_______________________
The act granted large areas of land
surrounding railroad tracks to the railroad
company that laid the tracks.
In return for building tracks, the Southern
Pacific Railroad (the Big Four) had gained
more than 11 million acres of land.
________________________________
they bought or started other railroads,
including the Western Pacific and the
California Southern.
[Because]
that they were nicknamed ___________
The railroads owned by the Big Four stretched _____________________. For almost 20
in so many directions
years, the Big Four’s railroads had little
competition in California.
[Because]
________________________________
Because the railroads owned by the Big Four
had little competition,
________________________________
Lesson Question: How did railroads affect California’s economy in the late 1800s?
10
TEACHER KEY
Cause and Effect KEY
Cause
Effect
[Because]
… the transcontinental railroad was completed
The railroad did lead to growth.
[Because]
It brought new products into the state that
sometimes cost less than goods made and sold
in California.
Many businesses in the state suffered
and closed.
[Because]
Part of the Southern Pacific Railroad ran
through the Central Valley from Stockton to
Los Angeles.
Towns along the railroad’s route –such as
Bakersfield, Modesto, Fresno, and
Merced—grew quickly.
[Because]
The act granted large areas of land
surrounding railroad tracks to the railroad
company that laid the tracks.
The Pacific Railroad Act of 1862.
[Because]
In return for building tracks, the Southern
The act granted large areas of land surrounding Pacific Railroad (the Big Four) had gained
railroad tracks to the railroad company that laid more than 11 million acres of land.
the tracks.
[Because]
The Big Four gained more and more land with
every new railroad track that they laid in
California.
[Because]
As they grew wealthier,
They grew wealthier.
[Because]
The railroads owned by the Big Four stretched
in so many directions
that they were nicknamed “the Octopus.”
[Because]
Because the railroads owned by the Big Four
had little competition,
they bought or started other railroads,
including the Western Pacific and the
California Southern.
For almost 20 years, the Big Four’s
railroads had little competition in
California.
they could charge high prices for
train tickets.
Lesson Question: How did railroads affect California’s economy in the late 1800s?
11
NAME____________________________
Railroad Cause and Effect Paragraph
Lesson Question: How did railroads affect California’s economy in the late 1800s?
California’s economy changed in many ways as result of
the completion of the railroad.
Thesis statement:
Cause: It brought _____________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________.
Effect: Therefore, many businesses in the state _____________________
_________________________________________________.
Cause:
The Southern Pacific Railroad ran __________________________
_________________________________________________
Effect:
and this led to the growth of towns _______________________
_______________________________________________________.
Cause:
The Railroad Act of 1862 ________________________________
_________________________________________________.
Cause/Effect:
As a result, _______________________________________
_______________________________________________________.
Cause/Effect:
The Big Four, who owned ___________________________
__________________________, became _________________.
Effect: With this money, the Big Four were able to ___________________
_______________________________________________________.
Cause: Because their railroads ___________________________________,
Effect:
they were nicknamed “____________________________.”
Cause: The railroads owned by the Big Four _______________________
_________________________________________________,
Effect:
so ___________________________________________________.
12
TEACHER KEY: Words in red denote Cause/Effect relationship words
Railroad paragraph
Thesis statement: California’s economy changed in many ways as result of the completion of the
railroad.
Cause: It brought new products into the state that often cost less than goods made and
sold in California.
Effect: Therefore, many businesses in the state suffered and closed because they lost money.
Cause: The Southern Pacific Railroad ran through the Central Valley from Stockton to Los
Angeles.
Effect: This led to the growth of towns along the railroad’s route.
Cause: The Railroad Act of 1862 granted land to the railroad companies that built the
railroads.
Cause/Effect: As a result, the Southern Pacific Railroad gained more than 11 million
acres of land.
Cause/Effect: The Big Four, who owned the Southern Pacific Railroad, became richer.
Effect: With this money, the Big Four were able to buy or start other railroads.
Cause: Because their railroads stretched in so many directions,
Effect: they were nicknamed “the Octopus.”
Cause: The railroads owned by the Big Four had very little competition,
Effect: so they could charge high prices for train tickets.
California’s economy changed in many ways as result of the completion of the railroad. It
brought new products into the state that often cost less than goods made and sold in California.
Therefore, many businesses in the state suffered and closed because they lost money. The Southern
Pacific Railroad ran through the Central Valley from Stockton to Los Angeles. This led to the growth
of towns along the railroad’s route. The Railroad Act of 1862 gave land to the railroad companies that
built the railroads. As a result, the Southern Pacific Railroad gained more than 11 million acres of land.
The Big Four who owned the Southern Pacific Railroad became richer. With this money, the Big Four
were able to buy or start other railroads. Because their railroads stretched in so many directions, they
were nicknamed “the Octopus.” The railroads owned by the Big Four had very little competition, so they
could charge high prices for train tickets.
13
Student Sample, page 1 of 2:
14
Student Sample, page 2 of 2:
15